That’s the reality in Pakistan, and it's not likely to change soon.
The year 2024 is on track to be the worst in the history of the Pakistan men’s cricket team.
Once hailed as one of the most exciting teams in the world, brimming with world-class talent, Pakistan is now slipping under the weight of poor performances, mismanagement, and lack of strategic planning.
It began with a 3-0 Test series defeat in Australia, followed by a crushing T20 series loss to New Zealand, and even a shocking defeat to the USA in the T20 World Cup in Dallas.
Fans who thought things couldn’t get worse were proven wrong when Pakistan suffered their first-ever Test loss to Bangladesh, culminating in a 2-0 series defeat on home soil.
Pakistan are now playing a Test series against England and they created unwanted history.
They have become the first side to lose a Test match despite scoring over 500 runs, being defeated by an innings and 47 runs.
We delve into the Pakistan men’s cricket team’s poor 2024.
Where did Things go Wrong?
When it comes to things going wrong for Pakistan, insecurity sums it up.
In August 2021, Ehsan Mani resigned as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Since then, the position has changed hands four times: Ramiz Raja, Najam Sethi, Zaka Ashraf, and the current chairman, Mohsin Naqvi.
It’s important to note that in Pakistan, the role of PCB chairman is closely tied to the government. A change in government often brings a change in cricket administration.
That’s the reality in Pakistan, and it’s not likely to change soon.
This revolving door of leadership inevitably affects player morale, especially when it extends to the head coach position.
Since Saqlain Mushtaq’s departure after a two-year tenure in 2023, Pakistan cricket has seen six different coaches – Abdul Rehman, Grant Bradburn, Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Mahmood, Gary Kirsten, and now Jason Gillespie.
These are renowned coaches but none have been given long-term backing.
So is it a surprise that Pakistan struggles to find on-field stability when there is so little of it off the field?
Feuding?
On the field, team morale seems to be at its lowest.
Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi are two of the world’s best cricketers but their performances have not been at the highest level for a long time.
Afridi is known for his 90mph bowls but that feels like a lifetime ago.
His pace has significantly dropped as has his impact. Now, Afridi is no longer guaranteed a spot in the starting XI for every Test match.
For Babar Azam, since his century against New Zealand in December 2022, he has struggled, failing to pass 50 runs in 15 consecutive Test innings.
Perhaps even more telling is the diminishing aura he once held among fans, both at home and abroad.
While he still enjoys strong support, there are now divided camps – those who remain loyal and those who have lost faith in him.
The captaincy saga hasn’t helped either. After a disappointing 50-over World Cup in India, Azam was replaced by Shaheen Afridi in white-ball formats and Shan Masood in Tests.
But Afridi’s captaincy stint lasted just five matches. A change in PCB leadership saw the captaincy handed back to Azam.
One can only imagine what this did to Shaheen’s morale, not to mention the potential friction between these two team heavyweights.
Then came Babar Azam’s unexpectedly timed resignation from white-ball captaincy, adding more fuel to the chaos.
Social media has since become a battleground for fans and pundits, stirring up a so-called feud between Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi.
As for Shan Masood, his Test captaincy has been no less difficult.
Before the Test series against England, Masood’s record stood at five matches, five losses.
Yet, the PCB board seems remarkably unconcerned by these looming disasters.
Test cricket appears to be a low priority for them. Their focus seems fixed on stadium renovations for the upcoming Champions Trophy – a tournament they are far from guaranteed to host early in 2025.
The decision to renovate Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Lahore simultaneously, while scheduled to host other series, is puzzling, to say the least.
This poor planning delayed and rearranged the itinerary for the England Test series, leaving touring fans frustrated.
Can Pakistan turn it Around?
Perhaps the most baffling aspect of Pakistan’s preparation for this Test series against England is how poorly planned it appears.
Coming off their first-ever loss to Bangladesh, the Pakistan men’s cricket team prepared for England by hastily throwing together a domestic 50-over competition.
Meanwhile, England confidently announced their squad before Pakistan had even finalised their venues.
As Pakistan deliberated over which spinners might thrive on Multan’s turning track, England’s preparations were well underway.
Ultimately, Noman Ali got the call-up, along with Abrar Ahmed and Saim Ayub.
Pakistan’s squad appears strong but there is an inevitability hanging over them and its fans. After losing the first Test, many anticipate an England clean sweep.
The growing pessimism isn’t confined to the fanbase.
A last-minute TV broadcast deal is telling of the dwindling interest in watching Pakistan play.
A team once considered the most thrilling and unpredictable in world cricket now struggles to captivate even its home audience.
It is still possible that Pakistan will shock everyone and win the series, host and win every match of the Champions Trophy, and celebrate with a grand parade in Lahore at the end of the year.
But such an outcome feels highly improbable.
Then again, pulling off the improbable has always been Pakistan cricket’s hallmark. It’s the one thing that continues to fuel hope in a fanbase enduring what feels like an endless cycle of disappointment.