The morning sun bathed Rawalpindi in a golden glow, casting a serene blue sky above. Yet, as the sun rose higher, so did the stark contrast between the hosts and the visitors on the cricket field. Bangladesh, despite having the early opportunities to challenge Pakistan, seemed to have been caught off guard, their resistance crumbling as quickly as the wickets fell. It was as though they had set their sights on an early exit, eager to catch an afternoon flight, rather than battling for a lasting presence on the pitch.
Pakistan, on the other hand, savoured the simplicity of the victory. A win so easy, so unchallenged, left little satisfaction for the opposition. The lack of fight from Bangladesh allowed for an extra day of rest—a luxury that few Test matches afford. It was a victory devoid of the drama that makes cricket memorable, the kind of win that doesn’t even afford the defeated the dignity of a challenge.
Despite the early promise of resistance, Bangladesh’s batsmen once again displayed an alarming tendency to self-destruct. Starts were made, but they were followed by reckless shot selection and an apparent inability to adjust their footwork. The second innings saw six Bangladesh batsmen fall victim to the leg-before-wicket dismissal—a fate that has become all too familiar for the team. It was only the second time in their Test history that such a fate had befallen them in an innings, the first instance occurring in 2009 against Sri Lanka. The record for the most LBWs in an innings belongs to Zimbabwe (7 against England in 2003) and New Zealand (7 against Australia), but the recurrence of this issue for Bangladesh speaks volumes about their technical frailties.
The crux of the problem lies in the inability to move the feet effectively, particularly against deliveries that nip back or are pitched fuller. This flaw, deeply ingrained in the mindset of Bangladeshi batsmen, is nurtured on the docile pitches of the domestic circuit, where bowlers struggle to extract any real assistance from the surface. On such pitches, a lack of foot movement can often go unnoticed, and batters can accumulate runs without truly being tested. But when they step outside this comfort zone, as they did in Rawalpindi, the lack of preparation becomes painfully evident.
Rawalpindi, a pitch that should have offered enough for the batsmen to make a fight of it, instead became a graveyard for Bangladesh’s ambitions. The question remains: why did they capitulate so easily? One possible explanation lies in the deep-seated habits formed on the placid decks of domestic cricket. These habits, once ingrained, are not easily shaken off, even in the face of stiffer challenges.
The lack of discipline in shot selection, even when set at the crease, continues to plague Bangladesh’s senior batsmen. Mominul Haque, Tamim Iqbal, and Mahmudullah Riyad, all of whom have considerable experience, should have been the guiding lights for their younger counterparts. Instead, their shot choices raised questions about their judgment and sensibility. While the absence of key players is often cited as an excuse, the fact remains that the team possesses enough seasoned cricketers to provide direction and stability.
This defeat in Rawalpindi marked the third consecutive innings defeat for Bangladesh, further cementing their reputation as a team struggling to find its footing in the longer format. With 89 defeats from 118 Tests, their losing percentage stands at a staggering 75.42%. The recent triumph of the young Tigers in South Africa, a bright spot in Bangladesh’s cricketing history, cannot obscure the grim reality of the Test team’s ongoing struggles. Beneath the shine of that achievement lies the persistent shadow of Bangladesh’s Test cricket woes, a sad and ongoing saga that refuses to fade away.
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