Pakistan’s heavy loss to Bangladesh in the opening Test has reportedly ignited a tense atmosphere inside the dressing room, with captain Shan Masood and fast-bowling leader Shaheen Shah Afridi at the centre of a heated exchange after the defeat. The fallout is being felt both on-field and off-field, as Pakistan now face the prospect of multiple changes before the second match in Sylhet.
Pakistan were dismissed for 163 while chasing 268 in Dhaka, ultimately suffering a 104-run defeat. The result marked their third straight Test loss to Bangladesh, following the setbacks they suffered during the 2024 home series. On top of the cricketing disappointment, the defeat carried an additional blow: Pakistan were penalised by the ICC for a slow over-rate, fined 40 per cent of their match fee, and docked eight points in the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27.
Dressing-room blame after collapse
Tensions are understood to have flared immediately after the collapse, with Shan questioning the pace attack’s inability to consistently trouble Bangladesh with sustained pressure. Particular focus was reportedly placed on Shaheen’s drop in pace, with claims that his average speed was around 132 kph—well below Bangladesh’s Nahid Rana. In the reported exchange, Shan was said to have expressed concern that the lack of speed from the fast bowlers had contributed to Pakistan failing to generate the intensity needed in the chase.
As the discussion escalated, Shaheen’s reported response shifted the criticism away from bowling and towards batting. He was said to have argued that Pakistan’s batting collapse prevented them from establishing a first-innings advantage, and reportedly urged the captain to consider his own contribution with the bat. The back-and-forth reflects how quickly a Test match can turn from a team failure into individual scrutiny.
ICC sanction adds pressure ahead of Sylhet
Pakistan’s situation worsened further when the ICC confirmed they were eight overs short, reinforcing the severity of the over-rate penalty. As a result, Pakistan remained on four points in the WTC standings and slipped to eighth place in the table. The same reporting also suggested that Shan had been warned multiple times during the Test regarding the over-rate issue, implying the problem was not sudden but had been building.
With the second Test approaching, the defeat has reportedly forced planning for a reshuffle in Sylhet. Shaheen and opener Imam-ul-Haq are expected to be dropped, while Babar Azam is likely to return after recovering from injury. There is also understood to be scrutiny around Mohammad Rizwan, who reportedly fell for 59 at a time when Pakistan were positioned strongly in the first innings.
For Pakistan, the next Test is likely to be as much about restoring balance as it is about correcting selection and performance issues, with the dressing-room heat now adding urgency to their preparations in Sylhet.
