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Shaheen Afridi Takes 4 Wickets But Pakistan Loses Again: Naya Bahana Or Reality Check for PCT?
Shaheen Afridi Takes 4 Wickets But Pakistan Loses Again: Naya Bahana Or Reality Check for PCT?
Wahi purani kahani, wahi purane bahane. Pakistan cricket team has once again proven that they are the undisputed kings of "Could Have, Would Have, Should Have." After a narrow loss to
England
at Pallekele, the strike bowler
Shaheen Shah Afridi
is back in the headlines, not just for his four-wicket haul but for his post-match explanations that sound more like a script from a tragic drama than a tactical analysis.
The Inner Story: Shaheen Performs, Pakistan Conforms to Failure
On a surface that was flatter than a paratha,
Pakistan
managed to crawl to a measly 164 for 9. While
Shaheen Shah Afridi
did his job by removing
Phil Salt
on the very first ball, the rest of the team seemed to be playing a different sport altogether. Shaheen later lamented that if the team had scored 15 to 25 runs more, the result would have been different. But the real question is: why is the
Pakistan
middle order consistently collapsing faster than a house of cards in a hurricane?
Shaheen pointed out that the lack of partnerships was the ultimate deal-breaker. He mentioned that on a wicket like this, you need a set batsman to navigate through the middle overs. Instead,
Pakistan
kept losing wickets back to back, failing to reach the projected score of 180 or 190. While
Harry Brook
was busy giving a masterclass on how to build an innings and rotate strike, the Pakistani batsmen were busy finding new ways to walk back to the pavilion.
Analysis & Numbers: The Gap Between Intent and Execution
Shaheen Shah Afridi
returned to form with figures of 4 for 30, proving he is still the spearhead, but his efforts were nullified by a defensive batting approach.
The middle phase was dominated by
Adil Rashid
, who choked the run flow, showing exactly where
Pakistan
lacks the tactical depth to handle quality spin.
Despite
England
losing 8 wickets, they chased down the target with 5 balls to spare, proving that aggressive intent beats "Safe Cricket" any day of the week.
The scorecard read 164/9, but Shaheen's prophecy of 190 remained a distant dream as no one in the top or middle order was ready to take responsibility.
The Guru Gyan Verdict:
Let’s be honest: Shaheen Afridi taking wickets is great for his personal stats, but Pakistan’s obsession with excuses is reaching legendary levels. Claiming they were 20 runs short is the standard "PCT template" after every loss. If you can’t rotate strike in the middle overs and depend solely on "Qudrat ka Nizam" to save you, even 200 wouldn't have been enough against this England side. Shaheen is back in rhythm, but the Pakistan team's winning mentality is still missing in action. High-class bowling cannot fix a low-class batting mindset.
Stay tuned to The Guru Gyan for more unfiltered cricket masala!
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