It’s been a rough ride for Pakistan in Test cricket on home soil, and former captain Mohammad Hafeez has some thoughts on the reason behind this decline.
Pakistan, once known for dominating in their own backyard, seems to have lost its way. The last time Pakistan won a Test match at home was way back in February 2021.
Since then, it’s been one disappointment after another, with the most recent being a 2-0 series loss to Bangladesh. So, what exactly has happened?
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What’s Gone Wrong?
In a recent interview, Mohammad Hafeez stated that Pakistan’s struggles at home can be boiled down due to them losing their “winning formula.” This formula, as Hafeez put it, was something Pakistan mastered when they played their home matches in the UAE.
“Unfortunately, Pakistan is missing the formula to win at home in Pakistan. We had acquired the winning formula at Pakistan’s adopted home which was UAE,” said Hafeez.
“We became the top-ranked Test team and even won the Test mace because we knew how to win in the UAE,” Hafeez pointed out. “But ever since cricket returned to Pakistan, that formula seems to have disappeared.”
It’s hard to argue with him. The UAE was like a fortress for Pakistan. Whether it was the slow, turning pitches or the ability to capitalize on their strengths, Pakistan knew how to get the job done. However, we should not forget the quality of spin bowlers Pakistan team used to have back then.
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Giving Credit to Bangladesh
Mohammad Hafeez also appreciated the Bangladesh cricket team for playing positive cricket and keeping Pakistan team under pressure. “At the international level, you can’t consider any team weak,” he said.
He was impressed with their mindset, body language, and smart decisions, which earned them a well-deserved win in Pakistan.
“Bangladesh deserved to win in Pakistan because of their mindset, body language, the way they played positive cricket and their management made good decisions,” he added.
In the end, Mohammad Hafeez also highlighted the infrastructural difference between Pakistan and their adopted home UAE, terming the deplorable conditions of the pitches as one of the main reasons behind Pakistan’s inability to benefit from their home conditions like Australia, England and India.
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