Lack of quality backup is eroding the strength of Test squad: PCB chief

A lack of quality backup is eroding the strength of the national team, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi said in the wake of the embarrassing 10-wicket loss to Bangladesh in the first Test.

“It was a very disappointing loss,” Naqvi said on Monday, a day after Bangladesh’s historic maiden Test win against Pakistan in 14 Test matches at Rawalpindi.

“The problem is the selection committee has no pool to turn to” for high-quality replacement players, he said.

Pakistan has been searching for a Test win at home since their last victory over South Africa at Rawalpindi in December 2021. The first-Test loss was their fifth at home in that span, which also includes four draws.

Naqvi had spoken about conducting a big overhaul after Pakistan was eliminated from the Super Eight at the T20 World Cup, losing to archrival India and the tournament co-host US team.

“We want to fix our problems,” Naqvi said, “but when we look at how to resolve them, we don’t have any solid data or (elite) players pool which we can draw from.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board is planning to use AI to help harness a pool of backup players from the newly announced 50-over tournament – Champions Cup – scheduled to be held from Sept. 12-29.

Pakistan cricket stalwarts Waqar Younis, Saqlain Mushtaq, Misbah-ul-haq, Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed will work as mentors of the five teams in the Champions Cup.

“This Cup will make domestic cricket strong, we’ll have a pool of 150 players, and then the surgery will be done by the selection committee,” Naqvi said, adding that critics have been urging for an immediate overhaul of the Test team. “But you can’t dump someone unless you have a better one to replace them.”

Pakistan surprisingly went without a specialist spinner in the series-opener against Bangladesh but their ploy to go with four pace bowlers backfired. Bangladesh took a solid 117-run first-innings lead after they scored 565 in reply to Pakistan’s 448-6 declared.

Pakistan crumbled for 146 in the second innings against Bangladesh spinners Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who collected seven wickets in between them.

“Losing to Bangladesh is sad but the selection committee had given the team 17 players,” Naqvi said. “If the coach or captain aren’t playing some of them, that’s their decision. The team management may have made a mistake, but that has nothing to do with the selection committee.”

Meanwhile, Bangladesh and Pakistan had World Test Championship points deducted and players were fined for slow over rates in the first Test.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Monday that Pakistan lost six points for bowling six overs short at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium where Bangladesh notched their first Test victory against Pakistan. Bangladesh lost three points for bowling three overs too few.

Pakistan players were also fined 30% of their match fee while Bangladesh players were penalised 15%. Pakistan captain Shan Masood and Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto pleaded guilty and accepted the sanctions with no need for a formal hearing.

Pakistan has dropped to No. 8 in the WTC standings just ahead of bottom-placed West Indies while Bangladesh is seventh behind South Africa.

Also, the ICC fined Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan 10% of his match fee and he was handed one demerit point for a Level 1 breach of its code of conduct.

Associated Press