England handed Pakistan a humiliating defeat in the ongoing Test series, setting a new record by winning despite Pakistan posting over 500 runs in their first innings. In a historic game at Lahore, the Shan Masood-led Pakistan side collapsed after a strong start, losing by an innings and 47 runs.
Pakistan posted a massive 556 after opting to bat, only to witness England replying with a staggering 823/7, built on a colossal 454-run stand between Joe Root and Harry Brook. England then bundled Pakistan out for just 220 in their second innings, sealing a comfortable victory.
The defeat has sparked outrage across Pakistan’s cricket community, with former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar expressing deep concern over the state of the nation’s cricket. Akhtar, speaking on PTV Sports, remarked that Pakistan cricket has been in decline for over a decade and harshly criticized the current team for their lackluster performance.
“Jo boyenge wo kaatenge (You will reap what you sow),” Akhtar said. “Losing is fine, but the fight was completely absent. England scored 800+, and Bangladesh also defeated us recently. It’s disappointing and shows we aren’t good enough.”
Akhtar also raised concerns about Pakistan’s potential loss of Test status, citing media reports and fan discussions suggesting the nation might stop playing the longest format of the game. “Fans are saying that Pakistan should stop playing Test cricket. It’s truly disheartening,” he added. “This is going to hurt Pakistan cricket, fans, and the upcoming talent.”
The former cricketer called for urgent intervention from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and urged its chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, to take decisive steps to revive the team’s performance and address issues such as internal conflicts within the dressing room.
