October 14 Monday 2002
Sharjah test defeat a disgrace, say Pakistani newspapers 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani newspapers described their national team's second test debacle in Sharjah as a disgrace and an "ignominious rout" on Sunday. 

Australia swept to victory by an innings and 198 runs on Saturday with more than three days to spare after Pakistan were dismissed for a match total of just 112 runs -- the fourth worst in test history. "Pakistan's ignominious rout" were the words chosen by The Nation newspaper, whose cricket correspondent went on to lambast his countrymen. "No other team has plumbed such depths in the last half a century and more, and this display of spineless batting on a wicket which, as the Australians had amply demonstrated, held no demons," Agha Akbar wrote from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. 

Pakistan's first innings of 59 on Friday was a record low for the country in a test, but that mark lasted for only one day. After Australia had made 310 in reply, Pakistan were skittled for just 53 in their second innings. "It was simply pathetic, and that too on a wicket favouring batsmen," reported the newspaper. It went on to describe Pakistan's defeat in the second test of three as the "sons of the soil betraying the nation's faith in them". 

The newspaper criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board for not nurturing enough young players at under-19 and "A" team level. "By asking the young players to face world champions Australia head on without being battle-hardened and experienced, the PCB has done a great disservice to them," reported Dawn. The Urdu-language newspaper Nawa-e-Waqt, was less forgiving, describing the two-day defeat as "horrific". "The ouster in the second innings for 53 runs proves (either) that the team entirely collapsed under Australian pressure or that the Australian bowlers had hypnotised the batsmen," it said.