Dysfunctional System Leaves Pakistan Stuck in Test-Match Mire
Dysfunctional Pakistan cricket is caught in a tough spot that goes way beyond the field. The national team’s recent play has shown some big problems inside the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and its approach to Test cricket. After a disappointing 2-0 series loss against Bangladesh, Pakistan’s Test team has lost five matches in a row Their winless streak at home is now an eye-popping 10 matches This worrying trend shows there’s something deeper going on with Pakistani cricket, rooted in a broken system and misplaced priorities.
The loss to Bangladesh hit hard
It’s not just about losing; it’s what it means. This series defeat marked Bangladesh’s biggest Test win so far, shining a light on Pakistan’s struggles. Instead of figuring out ways to fix this poor showing, the PCB seems to be focused on other things. Just 24 hours after the defeat, Sarfaraz Ahmed, one of Pakistan’s best Test players, was called to Lahore—not for a meeting about the Test team’s troubles but to push the PCB’s latest project: the Champions Cup.
This change in focus shows a troubling pattern
The PCB is paying more attention to white-ball cricket & events like the Champions Cup while leaving the needs of the Test team behind. Sarfaraz Ahmed being brought in for this job shows where the PCB’s priorities lie. With no planned long training camp before England’s Test series starting just eight days after the Champions Cup wraps up the team is left underprepared. This mess is what Test captain Shan Masood described nicely it’s like “studying science for a maths exam” totally misaligned effort.
Another issue is how domestic red-ball cricket is scheduled.
Another issue is how domestic red-ball cricket is scheduled.Pakistan’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, an important domestic tournament, won’t even start until the third week of October. This falls right when England’s Test series kicks off, cutting off valuable practice time for our players before facing a tough opponent. Last year, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy began in early September, giving players time to get ready for international matches. This delay shows how disorganized and unplanned things are with the PCB.
Because of this lack of red-ball cricket chances
Because of this lack of red-ball cricket chances, many batters are not prepared at all. Five out of the top seven batters—including Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and Saud Shakeel—had very little first-class match experience before facing Bangladesh. While Agha and Shakeel have played some red-ball cricket at home, their chances have been few and far between. You can see this lack of prep in their recent games; it highlights big problems within Pakistan’s cricket structure.
But it’s not all bad news!
But it’s not all bad news! Pakistan’s Test middle order has been pretty strong during this World Test Championship cycle with contributions from players like Agha & Shakeel making a difference. Still, without regular red-ball practice and better domestic scheduling, their hard work isn’t getting its due credit.
When we look at how Bangladesh approaches
When we look at how Bangladesh approaches Test cricket compared to Pakistan—it couldn’t be more different! Even though they also haven’t played much first-class cricket lately, Bangladesh showed grit and skill with veterans like Mushfiqur Rahim & Shakib Al Hasan leading the way. On the flip side, Pakistan leans too much on sporadic red-ball opportunities amid a shaky domestic structure—it’s really hurting us.
Looking forward
if the PCB keeps making quick changes and short-term fixes—like switching leadership—it won’t solve these deep-rooted issues in Pakistan cricket. The system is broken & without real planning for the future; things aren’t going to get better any time soon.
So right now, Pakistan cricket is stuck because of bigger problems at hand. The PCB’s skewed focus & lack of good planning have put our national Test team in a tough spot. Until these issues get fixed, improvement seems far away as we grapple with a dysfunctional system.