Bangladesh won the third and deciding ODI on Sunday to take the friendship series 2-1, completing a miserable tour for Pakistan who had already lost the preceding Test series 2-0.
“If you want to win a series at home, just invite Pakistan,” said Basit Ali on his YouTube channel, the BasitAliShow.
On the incoming selection committee, Ali noted Misbah and Sarfaraz have joined, with Sarfaraz announcing his retirement from playing on the same day. “Maybe you’ll see them coaching red-ball cricket,” he said.
As for coach Mike Hesson, Ali suggested his position was under pressure. “He had a clause that he would pick the squad of 15 himself. Sarfaraz and Misbah will never accept that.”
Ali argued the problems ran deeper than the results alone. Naeed Rana had been the difference across both formats. “Naeed Rana shook the world in this series,” Ali said. “His pace troubled our batsmen in the Tests and he carried that into the ODIs.” Bangladesh’s Taskin Ahmed then took four wickets in the decider, with Haris Rauf claiming three for Pakistan.
Bangladesh posted 290, a total Ali had not anticipated. The standout performances came from Tanjid, who scored his first ODI century — “very well played, player of the match, top class” — and Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha, whose hundred from number six brought the match closer. “To come in at number six and score a hundred, and bring the match that close from a hopeless position — top class knock,” Ali said.
But he was scathing about the team’s tactical decisions. “Rizwan should have come in at number three. Sending a young boy playing his first match at number three was a very big mistake. I want answers from the management and from Rizwan himself.”
Ali was clear the result reflected a deeper structural problem. “The number ten ranked team beat the number four ranked team, and it felt like Bangladesh were number four and Pakistan were number ten.” Pakistan had fielded six debutants. “Caps were handed out. But in Pakistan, whoever comes gets a cap straightaway. In the 90s players used to sit out, travel with the team, learn from seniors. That doesn’t happen anymore. That’s why the pool of players is getting smaller.”
Ali ended with congratulations to Bangladesh — and a warning about Pakistan’s habit of moving on without accountability. “Everything will go under the carpet now. PSL starts in a week, and we won’t talk about any of this until the next series.”
