“You score all your runs in the nets” – Basit Ali lashes out at Babar Azam following twin failures in PAK vs BAN 2024 1st Test

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has slammed Babar Azam after he could not deliver in the opening Test match against Bangladesh, which the hosts lost by 10 wickets at Rawalpindi. Former Pakistan skipper Azam returned with scores of 0 and 22 in the opening Test and thus could not score big on a flat pitch.

In fact, Azam had the rub of the green on his side as he was dropped for naught in the second essay by Litton Das but could not make the most of his second life.

Pakistan declared after posting 448-6 in the first innings as Saud Shakeel and Mohammed Rizwan scored big centuries. 

Basit Ali said on his YouTube Channel, “Just stop batting in the nets. You score all your runs in the nets, what will you do in the match? You don’t play where you need to bat for two hours, but you play for two hours in the nets. Just do skipping and knocking in the practice.”

Ali reckons Shaheen Shah Afridi should be rested and the lanky pacer should go back to play in the domestic circuit. The Pakistan pack leader returned with figures of 2-88 in the 30 overs he bowled in the first innings as Bangladesh posted 565 runs to take a healthy lead of 117 runs.

“Shaheen Afridi should be rested. Ask him to go and play first-class cricket first. First of all, congratulations to him on becoming a father. Let him meet his son and ask him to rest.”

Pakistan was not up to the mark with the bat in the second essay as they bundled out for 146 runs and it led to their downfall. This was Bangladesh’s first Test victory against Pakistan.

The second Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played at Rawalpindi from Friday onwards.