Pakistan suffered a crushing defeat against England
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal strongly criticized the national team following their humiliating defeat to England in the first Test in Multan. Under the captaincy of Shan Masood, Pakistan has now suffered six consecutive Test losses since he took charge last year, marking a troubling decline in their performance.
Despite scoring a substantial 556 runs in their first innings, Pakistan’s bowling attack faltered, allowing England to amass an astounding 823/7. The home team then struggled in their second innings, only managing 220 runs, resulting in a heavy defeat by an innings and 47 runs.
In a reaction posted on his YouTube channel, Akmal expressed disbelief at the team’s performance, comparing them to a local club side. “The world must be amazed at how Pakistan lost. No one will believe this. Our team has become like a local club. Even club teams don’t perform like this. This is the current standard of our team. We can beat weaker teams but fail against the stronger ones. The whole world is laughing at the Pakistan team,” he stated.
Pakistan’s first-innings score of 556 is now the highest total ever to be defeated by an innings in Test history and ties for the third-highest score by a team batting first that ultimately lost.
Compounding the frustration, Pakistan’s home Test record has been dismal, with their last victory on home soil dating back over three years to February 2021 against South Africa. Since then, they have experienced home series defeats against Australia, England, and Bangladesh, with only a series draw against New Zealand providing some respite.
Akmal further accused the players of being more focused on personal achievements than on team success, calling for an inquiry to hold individuals accountable for the disappointing results. “The Pakistan team has a selfish approach. In our country, players prioritize personal milestones over the team. The captain should be asked about which players are involved in this. There needs to be an inquiry, and those responsible should be removed,” he asserted.