Babar Azam, Salman Ali Agha In Firing Line As Sarfaraz Ahmed Unleashes Hell In Pakistan Dressing Room

Babar Azam and Salman Ali Agha [Source: AFP]

Pakistan cricket has landed in fresh controversy after another humiliating Test series defeat against Bangladesh, with senior players Babar Azam and Salman Ali Agha now facing heavy criticism from within the team management. 

Following Pakistan’s historic 2-0 series whitewash in Bangladesh, head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed reportedly exploded in the dressing room and questioned the mindset of the players.

On a humid Wednesday morning at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Pakistan’s final wickets fell quickly as Bangladesh sealed a dominant 78-run victory in the second Test. With this win, Bangladesh completed a historic 2-0 series sweep.

Bangladesh Create History Against Pakistan

Notably, Bangladesh produced one of the finest moments in their Test history by defeating Pakistan 2-0 in the away series. Throughout the series, the Tigers performed better in important moments and showed more discipline than Pakistan.

In the second Test, Litton Das played a brilliant knock of 126 runs in the first innings. Later, experienced batter Mushfiqur Rahim added a superb 137 in the second innings. As a result, Bangladesh set Pakistan a massive target of 437 runs.

Notably, Pakistan tried hard during the run chase. Mohammad Rizwan scored 94 runs, while Shan Masood and Salman Agha contributed 71 runs each. However, Bangladesh’s bowlers kept their calm under pressure. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam became the star performer with a six-wicket haul as Pakistan were bowled out for 358.

Also Read: Bangladesh Coach Gets Angry At Pakistan For Losing To Bangladesh

Babar Azam, Salman Ali Agha Criticised As Sarfaraz Ahmed Questions Pakistan Team Mentality

After the defeat, serious concerns were raised about the players’ form. According to Telecom Asia sources, head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed was extremely unhappy with the team’s approach and openly criticised players like Babar Azam and Salman Ali Agha during a full squad meeting attended by manager Naveed Cheema and the support staff.

"After the 58-run defeat in the second Test on Wednesday, head coach Sarfaraz blasted the players for focusing on their individual games and personal milestones during a full squad meeting attended by manager Naveed Cheema and other staff members," sources said.

"Players should play for the team and not for themselves," Sarfaraz Ahmed was quoted as saying to the players, especially the batters.

In fact, none of Pakistan’s batters managed to score 200 runs in the entire series. Surprisingly, young debutant Azan Awais was the only player to score a century.

Notably, Babar Azam also came under criticism despite scoring 115 runs in the second Test against Bangladesh. The former Pakistan captain managed scores of 68 and 47 in the second Test, but Babar Azam's performances failed to guide the team towards victory when it mattered the most. 

Meanwhile, Salman Ali Agha also found himself in the spotlight after scoring 176 runs in two matches, including two half-centuries. Although Salman Ali Agha's numbers looked impressive on paper, questions were raised about whether those performances truly helped the team during important moments.

Also Read: Babar Azam In, Mohammad Rizwan Axed; PCB Makes Bold Calls In ODI Squad For Australia Series

Questions Over Shan Masood’s Captaincy

Apart from the batting failures, Sarfaraz Ahmed was also unhappy with captain Shan Masood’s leadership. Sources claimed that the coach questioned Masood’s passive captaincy and poor decision-making on the field. 

In particular, Pakistan failed to take important reviews involving Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das despite both batters edging the ball.

Moreover, Litton Das, who was dropped on 52, went on to score a fighting 126. His innings helped Bangladesh recover from 116-6 to 278, adding 162 runs for the last four wickets.

Reports suggest that Sarfaraz Ahmed is likely to continue as head coach for Pakistan’s upcoming tour of the West Indies. However, Shan Masood may lose the captaincy after suffering 12 defeats in just 16 Tests. Middle-order batter Agha Salman is currently seen as the favourite to become the next Test captain.

Rajgeeta’s Opinion (Conclusion)

In my opinion, Pakistan cricket is currently suffering because of poor planning and weak leadership. The statistics clearly support this view. Losing back-to-back 2-0 Test series against Bangladesh is not just bad luck; it reflects deeper problems in the team setup.

 Furthermore, when senior players fail to perform and captains struggle with decision-making, the entire team loses direction.

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