Pakistan Defeats West Indies in 3 Days, But Former Cricketers Criticize Spin-Dominated Win

Islamabad:Pakistan defeated West Indies by 127 runs in the first Test match of the series in Multan, securing a 1-0 lead. This marks another success for Pakistan on home ground, with the victory coming just after 19 years since the West Indies played a Test series in Pakistan. However, despite the win, some former cricketers have voiced their concerns and criticism regarding Pakistan’s performance, particularly the over-reliance on spin bowling.

Former cricketer and analyst Sikandar Bakht, speaking on a private channel, pointed out that the pitch in the first match was offering excessive spin. He noted that a significant percentage of Pakistan’s batting innings consisted of sweep shots. Criticizing the pitch conditions, he questioned whether this would be the future of Pakistan cricket — preparing pitches that favor spinners while neglecting fast bowlers.

He said, “Is this the kind of cricket we want to play? Are we going to call teams here and expect our 40-year-old and 32-year-old spinners to take wickets? We prepare pitches with the help of fans and heaters, but when we play abroad, we have no fast bowlers.” Bakht also expressed concern over the absence of young fast bowlers like Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi, highlighting the lack of focus on fast bowling development.

Former cricketer Tanveer Ahmed, in a post on ‘X’, shifted the blame to key figures like Aqib Javed, Azhar Ali, and Asad Shafiq for the decline in fast bowling in Pakistan. He emphasized that although winning with spinners is satisfying, Pakistan’s fast bowling future is being sidelined. He added that selectors are signaling to fast bowlers that Test cricket is no longer a priority in their home conditions, and only limited-overs cricket remains an option for them.

Ahmed said, “Fast bowlers must save themselves, as they are not able to perform on fast pitches, despite being given opportunities. On the other hand, spinners perform well on spinning pitches.”

Another former cricketer, Shoaib Maqsood, posted on ‘X’ questioning when Pakistan last won a Test at home without the reliance on spinners. He remarked that now, when Pakistan is winning on home grounds, people are suddenly concerned about fast bowlers. Maqsood highlighted that domestic cricket in Pakistan has seen spinners struggle on green pitches for the past 15 years, but no one raised concerns then.

In the first match of the two-Test series between Pakistan and West Indies, Pakistan secured a 127-run victory, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.