Pakistan won a Test on home soil after a gap of more three years on Friday, beating England by 152 runs in the second match in Multan to level the three-game series 1-1. Pakistan’s new selection committee made some unexpected changes to the squad for the last two Tests, dropping the likes of star batter Babar Azam and pacer Shaheen Afridi. The decision received mixed response from fans of Pakistan cricket. While some suggested that dropping out-of-form batter Babar was a mistake, others hailed the new selection committee for making the right call.

Former Pakistan pacer Aaqib Javed, who is part of the new selection committee, has now opened up on his chat with India head coach Gautam Gambhir, who had asked him about the dire state of Pakistan cricket.

“We met the Indian players during our series against Sri Lanka. Gautam Gambhir ne mujhe kaha ke ‘Aaqib bhai, yeh Pakistan cricket ko kya ho gaya hai? Itna talent hai, hum bhi dekhte hain, sab kuch hai, inhone kiya kya hai?’ (Gambhir asked me what has happened to Pakistan cricket despite so much talent and everything, what have they done?),” Javed told Public Digital News.

Aaqib revealed that Gambhir too was sorry about the situation as India vs Pakistan matches won’t have the same thrill if one team is significantly inferior than the other.

“He (Gambhir) also feels sorry about it, because there are a few (top-level) teams, and the Pakistan-India matches provide the biggest thrill. So if your team (Pakistan) falls like that then one of the game’s biggest matches loses its charm,” he added.

Meanwhile, Noman Ali grabbed 8-46 and Sajid Khan took 2-93 as the pair wrapped up England’s second innings for 144 after the visitors were set a daunting target of 297. 

The 152-run victory was Pakistan’s first home win since February 2021 and came after they were thumped by an innings in the first Test on the same Multan pitch.

The final Test starts in Rawalpindi on October 24.

(With AFP Inputs)