Pakistan’s Test cricket woes reached a new low on Tuesday as they suffered a humiliating 2-0 series defeat at the hands of Bangladesh. It was the first time the Tigers had ever triumphed in a Test series against Pakistan, marking a historic low for the once-formidable side.
The series loss has sparked widespread criticism, with former batter Salman Butt emerging as a vocal critic. However, Butt has taken aim at those who have called for Pakistan’s batters to increase their strike rate in Test cricket.
“The strike rate mafia and intent mafia are basically illiterates of cricket,” Butt said in a video on his YouTube channel. “They have no idea about the format they are talking about.”
Butt argued that Test cricket is about patience and building partnerships, not about scoring runs quickly. “You lose within four days and come back, what are you going to do by playing fast? You played just 46 overs. What hurry do you have? Why don’t you understand that your job is to bat long?”
Butt also questioned the logic of comparing Pakistan’s batters to the likes of Joe Root, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, who are known for their aggressive approach in limited-overs cricket. “Do the greats of the game play like highlights? Do they score runs in this fashion?” he asked.
Pakistan’s Test ranking has plummeted to eighth, their lowest since 1965. The series loss to Bangladesh is the latest in a string of setbacks for the side, which has also suffered a historic whitewash in their two-match home Test series against England.
The defeat has had a significant impact on the ICC World Test Championship standings. Bangladesh’s 2-0 series win has seen them leapfrog England to number four, while Pakistan has dropped to eighth position.
