When a Test team makes 556, it does not expect to lose the match. At worst, it might let the other side escape with a draw. It certainly does not expect to go down to an innings defeat. Yet that is exactly what happened on Friday in Multan, as Pakistan relaxed so much after its imposing total on the first day and a bit, that it conceded a 267-run lead, which it could not knock off and set a target. If the England bowlers allowed three Pakistani batsmen to score hundreds in their first innings on the way to an imposing total, in the second innings they conceded only two fifties, and that was after they had already ripped the heart out of the Pakistani batting. Pakistani cricket fans will hang their heads in shame whenever they are mentioned as the only team in 2553 Tests to lose by an innings after making 500. This ranks with the thrashing by an innings and 579 runs in 1938 that England administered to Australia. Apart from the winner being England, another commonality was that the losers batted a man short; Pakistan was deprived of the batting of Ibrar Ahmad, Australia of that of the great Don Bradman.
The last time England visited, they also managed to beat Pakistan after the latter had scored 579, but they themselves had made 657. Harry Brook, whose 337 was the backbone of its latest effort. Top scored. The rot is not just because of one loss. It comes on the heels of a whitewash by Bangladesh, and reflects some deeper malaise. After all, Pakistan has now failed to win at home for 11 matches, and Shan Masud has skippered Pakistan in six consecutive defeats. At the moment, it does not seem that there is a quick-fix solution.
Matters have declined to the extent that merely changing the captain, or even the PCB chairman, will not help. It seems difficult that either can remain in his job after this, even the former can probably claim that he is essential to the T20I World Cup Pakistan is hosting. A start has been made by inducting a number of new selectors, but it is only if they accept that the problem might not be fixed in a day, or even a season, is it possible for something to happen. A purge is now unavoidable, because all Pakistan cricket can now count on is a lot of devoted fans.
And today they are also disappointed.
