Bangladesh hands Pakistan cricket whitewash on home soil

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Pakistan has hit rock bottom.

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There was a time when you could turn up a rock in the desert and find a world-class Pakistani fast bowler or a top-flight batsman.

But this famed nursery that produced the likes of Imran Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis has dried up and the most exciting and unpredictable squads on the world stage is no more.

On Tuesday, Bangladesh delivered a massive blow to diehard Pakistani fans around the world by taking the Test series 2-0 in Rawalpindi for the very first time. It was the country’s sixth defeat in its past 10 home Tests, but the nosedive started earlier this year when Pakistan was sent home packing after the first round of the World Twenty20 Cup following losses to India and associate nation United States.

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The Pakistani management has played a huge role in the demise of this squad but skipper Shan Masood put up a brave face despite the humiliation on home soil and apologized to the fans.

“We apologize to the nation,” said Masood, who failed with the bat in the two matches. “Our common goal should be to work for the betterment of Pakistan cricket.

“It isn’t all doom and gloom, there are always learnings. We need to get fitter, neater and prepare better. It is going to be a long Test and domestic season and we need to be better prepared for England,” Masood said.

England travels to Pakistan for a three-Test series starting Oct. 7.

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Meanwhile, coaches Jason Kirsten of South Africa — who is in charge of knockout cricket — and Australian Jason Gillispie — who looks after the Test format — have informed the board and selectors not to press the panic button as it would further dent the confidence of the players.

Reports emanating from various websites claim the squad is divided into two groups — one led by Masood and the other by former skipper Babar Azam and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was dropped for the second Test.

Apparently the two factions were involved in a fist fight prior to the second Test and wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan was injured, but recovered in time to play.

Bangladesh held its nerve on the fifth day on Tuesday to complete the whitewash by chasing 185 for its third-highest Test run chase. Pakistan scored 274 and 172, and Bangladesh replied with 262 and 184 for four.

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It was a remarkable fightback for Bangladesh after slipping down to 26 for six in the first innings before Litton Das (138) and Hasan Miraz (78) put on 165 for the seventh wicket to help the tourists to 262.

In the second knock, Zakir Hasan slammed 40 off 39 balls and shared an opening stand of 58 with Shadman Islam, who made 24.

The other heroes for Bangladesh were fast bowlers Hasan Mahmud who grabbed five for 43 and his 21-year-old partner Nahid Rana. Rana troubled the Pakistani batsmen with his speeds that at times were in excess of 93 mph.

“It means a lot, can’t express with words. Really happy,” captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said.

Next stop for high-flying Bangladesh is a two-Test series versus India later this month and, after the victory versus Pakistan, the Bangladeshis will be hoping to stun the home team.

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NO ORDINARY JOE

Freed from the pressures and the responsibilities of the England Test captaincy, Joe Root has proved he is the country’s greatest batsman.

The right-handed Root smashed twin centuries against visiting Sri Lanka on the weekend to bypass Alastair Cook’s 33 and become the country’s top century-maker.

Root now joins the illustrious Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara, Mahela Jayawardene and Younis Khan in joint sixth spot. Leading the pack is none other than the greatest batsman of all time, Sachin Tendulkar, who rules the roost with 51, and behind him are Jacques Kallis (45), Ricky Ponting (41), Kumar Sangakkara (38) and Rahul Dravid (36).

Root stepped down as captain in 2022 after five years at the helm. He came from intense criticism following his record of 27 wins and 26 losses, and it was a rare Test loss to the West Indies in the Caribbean that year which forced Root to throw in the towel.

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“He is quite simply England’s greatest and it’s right that he should have this record, on his own. We are watching a genius,” Cook commented on BBC.

“I don’t think there’s a batsman that I can remember watching play … The sense of inevitability about scoring runs that Joe Root gives off. I know he’s in great form, but it’s just a pleasure to watch a master, a craftsman at work,” he added.

England took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series by winning the second match at Lord’s by 190 runs.

England: 427 (Root 143, Gus Atkinson 118, Asitha Fernando five for 102) and 251 (Root 103). Sri Lanka: 196 (Kamindu Mendis 74) and 292 (Dinesh Chandimal 58, Dimuth Karunaratne 55, Dhananjaya de Silva 50, Atkinson five for 62).

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