Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria made comparison of the Pakistan cricket team with that of a ‘Mohalla Team’, and blamed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the downfall of cricket in the nation. PCB is currently facing criticism as Pakistan lost the Test series to Bangladesh, even when being on the home ground. Danish Kaneria lashed out on Shan Masood and Babar Azam for their flop performance in the two-match Tests against Bangladesh.
Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for giving captaincy to Babar Azam from Sarfaraz Ahmed. Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria compared the Pakistan Cricket Team with the ‘mohalla team’ and blamed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the downfall of cricket in their nation. PCB are currently facing much criticism after Pakistan lost the Test series against Bangladesh on their home soil. This was their first series defeat against Bangladesh in the history of red-ball cricket.
Pakistan disastrous performance in 2 match test series vs Bangladesh
In the first Test, Pakistan’s decision to declare their first innings at 448 for 6 backfired as Bangladesh amassed 565 before bowling their hosts out cheaply the second time around to power a 10-wicket win. In the second Test, the visitors were reeling at 26 for 6 in their first innings but recovered superbly through a 165-run seventh-wicket stand between Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz to turn the tables on Pakistan.
Shan Masood and the Pakistan team management were heavily criticized for going into the first Test with a four-pronged pace attack on a pitch that offered little to the fast bowlers. On the other hand, the Bangladesh spinners wreaked havoc in the second innings, scripting a historic first-ever Test win against Pakistan.
Pakistan took drastic measures in the second Test. They went with a pitch that had grass on it but dropped their lead seamers, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, from the XI. The pace set-up of Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali and Khurram Shahzad worked wonders in the first innings but then faded.
Looking at this disastrous performances which almost threw Pakistan out of the finals race in the ICC World Test Championships in 2023-25, former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria slammed the Pakistan Cricket Team for the failure in the series.
Danish Kaneria slammed Pakistan cricket team for 0-2 series loss to Bangladesh
Former Pakistan captain Danish Kaneria has slammed the national team for their recent series loss to Bangladesh at home. The former off-spinner said that the level of the Pakistan team has gone down below that of a ‘Mohalla’ (community, village or town) cricket side.
Danish Kaneria’s reaction came as Shad Masood and Co. lost the two-match Test series 0-2, their first-ever Test and series defeat against Bangladesh.
Danish Kaneria told IANS (via the Times of India):
“The level of the Pakistan cricket team is so low that even a mohalla team is better than them, and all this is because of the PCB. They are to be blamed for such a below-par show from the national side. The luxuries of the captain’s ‘kursi’ (chair) and the chairmanship at the PCB spoil minds.”
Kaneria further took the example of Team India, which thrashed Bangladesh by 280 runs in the first Test. He said:
“When you look at the current Indian team, everyone takes responsibility and performs when it is needed. Shubman (Gill), Rishabh (Pant), (Ravichandran) Ashwin — everyone contributes, and that is why they are a world-class team.”
“Currently, there is no captain material in the Pakistan team” – Danish Kaneria
Danish Kaneria further slammed Shan Masood and Babar Azam for their failure to win even one out of their last 10 Tests at home. The 43-year-old also questioned their credentials with the bat in the red-ball format. On this, he said:
“I don’t know why Babar Azam was given the leadership responsibility despite Sarfaraz Ahmed’s good captaincy. Currently, there is no captain material in the Pakistan team. A captain is someone who takes the pressure on his shoulders and carries the team forward with his performance, which both Babar and Shan Masood have failed to do. Can’t they have scored one century against Bangladesh in their home conditions?”
Apart from the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, the Shan Masood-led side lost the three-match home Test series in Australia. Masood, however, has been retained as skipper for the upcoming three-match home Test series against England, which will be played in October.
Earlier, Babar Azam and Co. lost a three-match home Test series 0-1 against Australia, while the two-match home Test series against New Zealand ended in a 0-0 draw. India vs Bangladesh 2nd Test match will be played at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur from September 27 to October 1.