Shan Masood blamed solely for Pakistan's series loss to Bangladesh; surgery jibe reiterated

After Pakistan's shocking whitewash at the hands of Bangladesh, Basit Ali has unleashed a scathing attack on captain Shan Masood, laying the blame entirely on his shoulders for the embarrassing 0-2 Test series defeat at their own backyard on September 3.

Pakistan cricket team’s miserable performance in the recent two-match Test series, which ended with a humiliating six-wicket loss in the second match in Rawalpindi, stunned the world and raised serious questions about the team's future in Tests.

Basit Ali blasts Shan Masood after Pakistan’s embarrassing whitewash by Bangladesh

Basit, the former Pakistan selector, didn’t hold back in his assessment, labeling Pakistan’s performance in the second Test as nothing short of "third class" against Bangladesh.

The former Pakistan batter has directly blamed Shan Masood’s leadership for the embarrassing loss, as it allowed Bangladesh to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in the final Test in Rawalpindi.

Despite Pakistan’s early dominance, where they had Bangladesh reeling at 26/6 in the first innings, Shan Masood failed to maintain pressure or make strategic decisions.

It allowed Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz to stage a historic comeback for the tourists on day three at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Litton’s stunning 138 and Miraz’s gritty 78 not only rescued Bangladesh but also highlighted the glaring flaws in Pakistan’s game plan.

Their 165-run partnership for the seventh wicket exposed the cracks in Shan Masood's captaincy, as the bowlers looked directionless and the field placements left much to be desired, and that’s where Pakistan lost the game.

"Pakistan did surgery on themselves"

Basit has not just slammed Shan Masood for his tactical errors but also raised questions on his overall leadership qualities, which added a dark chapter in Pakistan’s history, marking the first time they’ve been whitewashed by Bangladesh in a Test series.

The former Pakistan Women's coach also took a sharp dig at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi for his “surgery” remark that he made after the team’s early exit from the World Cup.

He sarcastically said that the Pakistan team has effectively "done surgery on themselves" by bringing this whitewash upon themselves against Bangladesh.

He also called on the PCB chief Naqvi to take immediate action, suggesting that the team’s problems are so deep-rooted, having lost two major events within the last six months, as they are now set to face England.

It was a third-class performance: Basit Ali

Basit Ali said on his YouTube channel: “It was a third-class performance. Pakistan lost the Test match due to captaincy. Captaincy played a key role in the way Litton Das and Mehidy performed after 26/6. There is no need for surgery. The Pakistan team has done surgery on themselves. Mohsin Naqvi should think about this. In the past six months, Pakistan has lost two big events.”

Under Shan Masood's captaincy, Pakistan has faced defeat in all five Test matches they’ve played. His tenure began with a tough series in Australia, where Pakistan lost all three Tests and now two more against the Tigers.

Notably, Pakistan will be next hosting England in a three-match Test series in October, and it will be interesting to see how the hosts manage to stage a comeback against this giant and in-form side.