Pakistan cricket team during first Test vs Bangladesh.© AFP
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has rued the downfall of the side's fast-bowling stocks, saying the pacers who started at 145kmph have now come down to 130 kmph. The comments from Latif come a day after Pakistan lost the first Test to Bangladesh by ten wickets, the first time they have lost a longer format game at home by this margin. The hosts didn't field a frontline spinner and went with an all pace-bowling attack. But they failed to contain Bangladesh on a docile pitch as the visitors' made 565, as compared to Pakistan declaring at 448/6.
On day five, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan took seven wickets between themselves in the second innings to dismiss Pakistan for just 146, and Bangladesh chased down 30 in 6.3 overs to get their first-ever Test win over Pakistan.
"There were days when defeats against a team like Bangladesh would rankle, and shock us. We were a formidable team and it was not easy to beat us. In 2003, they came close to beating us thrice in three Tests. We ended up winning the series 3-0. The aura of invincibility at home is gone. We have lost five in the last nine games at home.
"The world knows that pace used to be our strength but our top fast bowlers no longer bowl at breakneck pace. It was the root cause of the defeat yesterday (at Rawalpindi on Sunday). Their speeds have come down drastically. If they are carrying injuries, they should reveal that. Shaheen (Afridi), Naseem (Shah), and Khurram (Shahzad) started off with pace of 145. They all have come down to 130," said Latif to Cricbuzz.
He also feels the Pakistan support staff is not doing a good job of keeping the pacers in prime shape to hit high speeds in Test cricket. "Our trainers and physios are to blame. If you look at a Jofra Archer, he comes back after two years of hiatus but does not lose a yard in his pace. Same with Jasprit Bumrah -- he comes back from an operation and bowls with the same velocity. Pat Cummins... he was out of cricket for a long time due to injury."
"When he came back, he did not show any signs of slowing down. Why are our bowlers slowing down? Obviously, our support staff is not doing a proper job. A bowler of 144 kmph speed has come down to 128 kmph," he said.
Latif, who briefly coached Afghanistan, further pointed out how Bangladesh benefitted from playing spinners at Rawalpindi and slammed Pakistan for declaring too early in their first innings.
"The five-day matches are different from the ODIs and the T20Is. Every session is different in a Test. Bangladesh adapted well. We no longer have quality spinners like we used to, so turning tracks are no longer an option. Instead, we relied on pace, but the tactics backfired.
"Our bowlers bowled too short, while Bangladesh focused on fuller deliveries, and that made all the difference. They also have quality spinners in Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan. Personally, I would have also included Taijul Islam," said Latif.
"They made the right decision by opting to bowl first, given the conditions, and their early success proved it was the correct call. There was no need to declare (at 448 for six) - they should have aimed for 550. Falling 100 runs short ultimately made the difference."
"(Mohammad) Rizwan was unbeaten on 171, and Shaheen was also batting well on 30 (29). Those 100 extra runs cost us the game. Bangladesh, on the other hand, read the conditions well and outplayed Pakistan. They wore down the Pakistani bowlers and then capitalized," he concluded.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)