Crash and burn: Pakistan cricket at a new low after England humiliation

Karachi, Pakistan witnessed a new low in the country's cricket scene during the humiliating 3-0 Test whitewash at the hands of England. A brief moment of encouragement came from debutant Razaullah, but the damage was already done. With the team described as the worst to tour England in the last 50 years, Pakistan's cycle of constant personnel changes continued.

Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling chief Umar Gul were both sacked, while seven players were expelled from the squad. The team's batting performance fell to a new low, failing to total 200 in five out of the six innings. Despite the turmoil, white-ball coach Mike Hesson replaced the previous coach mid-series, which did not prove to be a game-changer.

The situation worsened when the expelled players Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq were investigated for leaking team information. Former cricket stars Wasim Akram and Shahid Afridi voiced their disappointment, with Akram predicting this downfall for the last five years and Afridi calling the situation bleak. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has faced multiple leadership changes in recent years, resulting in a lack of consistent strategy that has hindered the sport's growth.

The team has had three captains and six head coaches for Tests over the last three years, exacerbating the instability. Punishing players has often accompanied these changes, with the PCB previously banning Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan for an indefinite period after a disastrous tour of Australia in 2010. Pakistan currently stands ninth and last on the World Test Championship (WTC) table, mirroring their previous cycle.

The team's performance in white-ball cricket has also been disappointing, as they were eliminated in the first round of the ODI Champions Trophy last year. Former leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed blamed the decline on poor planning and lack of talent in red-ball cricket. Fans, including Mohammad Afzal, a banker, are losing interest in the sport, with his four sons no longer participating in a local academy due to the team's underwhelming performance.