Former cricketer and coach Basit Ali did not hold back in his criticism following Pakistan’s dismal performance against an understrength New Zealand side in the first ODI in Napier. Once hailed as Asian giants and a dominant force in world cricket, Pakistan now finds itself struggling to regain its lost stature. Their attempts at rebuilding have often fallen short, leaving them chasing the glory of their past.
After an embarrassing 4-1 loss in the T20I series, Pakistan looked set to redeem itself in the 50-over format. The chase of 345 seemed well on track, particularly with Babar Azam’s impressive 78-run knock. However, everything unraveled the moment Babar mistimed a shot straight into the hands of Daryl Mitchell. His dismissal triggered a dramatic collapse, with Pakistan crumbling from 249/4 to 271 all out, ultimately succumbing to a crushing 73-run defeat.
In a scathing analysis on his YouTube channel, Basit questioned the decision to have Babar bat at number three, pointing out his failure as an opener in the Champions Trophy.
“Why did Babar play at number three? He came to open in the Champions Trophy. Where are those professors who said he should open? They should apologise to the nation. Nobody will come out now. Those who try to become cricket professors should be hit with boots (inhe joote maarne chahiye),” he remarked.
Basit also hinted at the root cause of Pakistan’s recent decline, suggesting that a particular individual—whom he did not name—was responsible for disrupting the team’s stability by forcing Babar and ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan into the opening slots.
“The person who made Babar and Rizwan openers is responsible for destroying Pakistan cricket. The Pakistan team has become a franchise team. It is a team based on preferences,” he added.
With the series now on the line, Pakistan will have a final chance to stay alive when they face New Zealand in the second ODI in Hamilton on Wednesday.
