This is only the second time in cricket history when a team is defeated within two days of the five-day test match. Pakistan’s two-innings total of 112 (59 and 53) runs is the lowest score in the last 50 years of Pakistani test cricket. This is Pakistani’s worst defeat by any team in Pakistan cricket history and of course, it is Australia’s biggest victory in Australian cricket history.

The unprofessional and tawdry approach in every department of cricket not only humiliated the entire cricket-loving Pakistani nation but disappointed countless cricket lovers around the world. Pakistani team showed no guts, no courage and no fighting spirit to even match the standards of a Test-Cricket Nation.

The most disgraceful event which one could hardly imagine from any team manager was the happy and smiled face of Brigadier Mohammad Nasir, the team Manager. He is the same character who was found attending cocktail parties, chasing and accompanying women at the nightclubs during his Australian tour with Pakistani team as a Manager, during Pakistani cricket team tour in 2000. Tribune International had published a front-page story in its edition of February 11, 2002, on the shameful activities of Brigadier Nasir and other senior players. When asking, “how is he playing for the next match”, in an interview given to Tribune International during the said tour, his reply was nothing but an unsporting approach from a retired military person, he said, “Well, we lost the game in Melbourne but I challenge the Australians and I am 100% sure that we will defeat Australia in Sydney…, you tell to the Australians and I am 100% sure that we will defeat Australia in Sydney…, you tell to the Australians through your media that we will teach a lesson to Australian team ”. His reply was enough to understand level of his professional caliber and experience. Contrary to military-style claims from a retired army person; Pakistan was defeated comprehensively by Australia. After the tour, at some stage, he was sacked. The re-appointment Brigadier Mohammad Nasir as a Manager has been shocking news for Pakistani-Australians who had witnessed his unacceptable and shameful activities during his tour of Australia.

Pakistan has extraordinary natural talent in every department of cricket. Every individual has unmatchable skills in all levels of cricket. Pakistani talent is undisputedly accepted by Australians and other cricket nations. The biggest dilemma with Pakistani team is the discipline and team management. The prejudices, inside politics, appointment of cricket officials on the basis of groupings, the favoritism and discrimination in the team selection have ruined the international image and national character of Pakistan Cricket.

The winning and loosing is the part of every game. The loss after 100% input in the game and fight at the end, is always understandable and acceptable to everyone. However, the hefty defeat where no team planning, strategy and fight can be witnessed eventually creates suspicion to the observers. The lost against Bangladesh in the world cup, time and again defeat by Sri Lanka, poor performance in ICC champion trophy and now the ghastly defeat in the second test is not just lost of another test match against the world champion Australia, it is a great shame for Pakistan being a test cricket nation. It is unlikely that the Pakistani cricketers were involved in the recent debacle. However, these sorts of dreadful defeats eventually create apprehension in the minds of the management of the international cricket officials about possibility of match-fixing.

The personal excuses from the senior players, the mysterious injuries of Yousef Youhana, the strange selection of the team and the poor and effortless captainship of Waqar Younis worried the Pakistani cricket fans for the coming world cup. If the substandard and poor performance of Pakistani team continues the Pakistan should forget about any chance to even qualify for the second round or semi final as what happened in the ICC champion’s trophy.

This is the time for the Pakistani high-ranking officials, particularly the President Musharraf to personally look into the serious problem in the Pakistani team. The immediate and strong action against present team official and restructuring of team with fair and impartial selection of the players is inevitable to save the image of Pakistan in the international cricket.

The writer is a Sydney-based freelance journalist and a political analyst.