If you are a fan of Pakistan’s red-ball cricket, you might want to look away. What was supposed to be a routine, confidence-building bilateral series against Bangladesh has officially turned into one of the most humiliating chapters in recent Pakistani cricket history. Looking at Pakistan’s test series defeat: first there was the 104-run defeat in the first Test in Dhaka, Pakistan traveled to Sylhet hoping for redemption. Instead, they were handed a brutal 78-run loss, cementing a devastating 2-0 series whitewash.
Pakistan’s Test Series Defeat
1. The Sylhet Collapse
The second Test in Sylhet perfectly encapsulated everything wrong with the current squad. Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl, hoping to exploit early moisture. While they managed to bowl Bangladesh out for 278 in the first innings, the Pakistani batters completely folded, managing a mere 232 in response.
In the second innings, Bangladesh’s Litton Das put on an absolute masterclass, smashing 126 runs off 159 balls to push the hosts to a commanding 390.
2. Chasing Ghosts
Chasing 437 to win is practically impossible in modern Test cricket, but the lack of fight from the top order was appalling. Despite a gritty 68 from Babar Azam and some late resistance from Salman Ali Agha, the batting lineup crumbled against the spin of Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam. Pakistan was ultimately bowled out for 358.
Verdict
This 2-0 whitewash is a massive wake-up call. The pace attack looked entirely toothless when the ball stopped swinging, and the top order continues to struggle against disciplined spin. Najmul Hossain Shanto and his team thoroughly outplayed Pakistan in every single department. Major structural changes are needed before the team faces England later this year, because right now, our red-ball setup is completely broken.