Pakistan cricket faces chaos after Bangladesh Test series loss
- Pakistan's cricket team has not won a Test match at home since February 2021, resulting in a ten-match winless streak.
- The team faced a disappointing performance at the Cricket World Cup 2023, losing five of nine matches and exiting at the group stage.
- Instability and a lack of direction within the team have led to chaos, affecting player performance and captaincy.
Pakistan's cricket team has faced significant challenges following a clean sweep in a home Test series against Bangladesh, marking only the second time in history they have experienced such a defeat. The team has not secured a Test victory at home since February 2021, resulting in a winless streak of ten matches. Their last notable performance was in November 2022 during the T20 World Cup, where they lost to England in the final. Since that time, Pakistan's performance has been inconsistent, with a disappointing showing at the Cricket World Cup 2023 in India, where they lost five out of nine matches and were eliminated in the group stage. The team managed to win only one of their last five Test series, which was against Sri Lanka in July 2023. The instability within the team has been highlighted by coach Arthur, who pointed out that the lack of a stable environment leads players to focus on individual performance rather than team success. This chaos is exacerbated by a revolving door policy regarding captaincy, which has left the ODI captaincy uncertain since the team has not played in that format since November. Captain Shan Masood expressed disappointment after the loss to Bangladesh, acknowledging the need for improvement. Arthur believes that Masood has the potential to be a strong captain but requires time to develop his batting skills. The selection committee's limited pool of players further complicates the situation, indicating a need for a more stable and cohesive approach to team management.