By Anees-ur-Rehman
As the world says goodbye to 2023, it’s time to hark back to the memories of momentous events in various fields.
So, let’s jog memories of our team’s performance in cricket. Pakistan’s cricketing landscape saw ups and down in the outgoing year.
The year was the proverbial rollercoaster ride for the team and its die-hard supporters. Whether it was Asia Cup or the World Cup, the Green Shirts failed to make a mark in the mega events.
Besides, there was no dearth of controversies and challenges the cricket team had to grapple with.
Disappointing start of the year
Pakistan started the year with an ODI series loss against New Zealand, after drawing a two-match Test series against them.
First T20 defeat at hands of Afghanistan
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) entrusted Shadab Khan with the leadership in a home series of three T20 matches against Afghanistan, replacing Babar Azam. However, the team’s performance in the first assignment was dismal.
Afghanistan’s first-ever victory in the T20 series against the Men in Green was a setback for Pakistan cricket.
Victory in ODI series against Kiwis after 12 years
In an ODI series against New Zealand, where regular captain Kane Williamson and key players were absent from the squad, Pakistan managed to clinch the 5-match ODI series by 4-1, achieving the series victory against the Kiwis after 12 years.
Milestone of winning 500 ODIs
Playing the first ODI in Rawalpindi against New Zealand, Pakistan secured the honour of being the third team in cricket history to win 500 ODI matches.
The national team achieved this milestone after playing 949 matches. Apart from Pakistan, India and Australia have achieved this feat.
Whitewash against Sri Lanka in Test series
Following the home series against Afghanistan and New Zealand, the national team travelled to Sri Lanka where they won a two-match Test series, completing a clean sweep against the host team and securing the top position in the Test Championship 2025 points table.
Pakistan became the most successful team in Tests in Sri Lanka, securing their fifth series victory. Other major teams like Australia and England have won four series, India three, and South Africa two against Sri Lanka.
Retribution against Afghanistan
After whitewashing Sri Lanka, the Pakistan team played a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, beating the Afghan side by 3-0.
Asia Cup
Returning home for the Asia Cup, Pakistan won against Nepal in the initial match but faced a tough match against India, which was eventually abandoned due to rain.
Pakistani bowlers performed really well against the formidable Indian batting lineup. However, rain disrupted the game’s outcome, leading to a draw.
The national team set off for the Super Four stage but faced a tough challenge in the form of India, where Pakistan’s bowlers couldn’t perform well and conceded record 356 runs. Pakistan were bowled out for just 128 runs, resulting in a humiliating defeat at the hands of arch-rivals India.
The national team also lost against Sri Lanka, resulting in their exit from the Asia Cup.
World Cup 2023
Despite a lacklustre performance in the Asia Cup, Pakistan began the World Cup as one of the top four teams. Most cricket pundits included the Green Shirts in the final four, but as the tournament progressed, opinions were changed.
After defeating the Netherlands and Sri Lanka in the mega event, they faced a humiliating defeat against India, which affected the team’s morale. Pakistan could not recover from the Indian defeat and lost four matches on the trot.
They could not even defend 282 runs against Afghanistan who registered their first-ever ODI victory against the Green Shirts.
England knocked Pakistan out of the tournament after beating them in the second last match of the tournament.
Pakistan lose another Test series in Australia
At the end of the year, Pakistan lost yet another Test series on the Australian soil as the host defeated the Green Shirts by 79 runs in Melbourne Test to clinch the three-match series by 2-0.
There was a chance for the national team to beat the mighty Australians at home after almost 28 years but the drop catch of Mitchel Marsh by Abdullah Shafique shattered the hopes of Pakistani fans as the Aussie batter went on to score 96 runs, setting 317 runs target for Pakistan.
Marsh arrived at the crease when the Aussies were struggling at 16-4 in the second innings. In reply, Pakistan were bowled out for 237.
Earlier, Australia defeated Pakistan on Perth pitch to record a thumping 360-run victory in the first Test inside four days.
The Men in Green have struggled historically in Test matches on Australian soil, never having won a Test series in the country. However, Pakistan registered their last Test win under the captaincy of Wasim Akram in 1995-96 series.
Top ODI team
Despite all the ups and down in the calendar year, Pakistan managed to top the ICC ODI rankings. The Green Shirts also stood first on the ICC Test Championship points table before the Australia series.
Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam top ODI rankings
Pakistani star players Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi got the number one spot in the ICC batting and bowling rankings, respectively. They achieved the feat in the ODI World Cup which recently concluded.
Shaheen Afridi ended up the world cup campaign with 18 wickets while Babar Azam scored 320 runs in nine World Cup matches, the third most for Pakistan, with an average of 40 and a strike rate of 82.90.
Former skipper Babar Azam is still number one batter in the world with 824 points.
This is the first time in the ODI rankings for Pakistan that both batter and bowler dominate the rankings at the same time.
Record-breaking performance of women team
The 2023 went well for Pakistan women team as they made history by winning the T20 series against two major teams.
The women’s team achieved a clean sweep against South Africa in the T20 series but faced defeat in the 3-match ODI series.
Pakistan women also registered their first-ever T20 victory against New Zealand, winning the series by 2-1. Later, they lost the ODI series.
Controversies
Inzamam steps down as chief selector
A series of controversies hit the Pakistan cricket in 2023. It all started when Inzamamul Haq stepped down as chief selector after allegations of conflict of interest emerged in the middle of the world cup where Pakistan could not make it to the semi-final.
The PCB constituted a fact-finding committee to probe the allegations against Inzamam who actually asked for the inquiry after his impartiality was questioned because of his alleged stakes in a player management company that represents several national players, including former captain Babar Azam.
Rashid Latif’s allegations
Another controversy erupted when former captain Rashid Latif claimed that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf (and other senior functionaries) stopped receiving calls and text messages of captain Babar Azam, which triggered a debate on social media.
Zaka Ashraf’s clarification
Responding to Latif’s allegations, Zaka Ashraf, in an interview with a local news channel, denied the accusation. He said the team’s captain had never directly contacted him.
Ashraf claimed Babar did not call him and that “there is a proper protocol of communication at this level.”
Babar’s WhatsApp chat leaked
Later, another controversy gripped the Pakistan cricket when a journalist of a private news channel leaked the WhatsApp chat of Babar Azam, involving a PCB official.
Netizens and former cricketers expressed outrage over the airing of a private WhatsApp conversation between Babar Azam and a senior PCB official, deeming it a breach of privacy and an unethical act.
Babar steps down as captain
Babar Azam stepped down as captain days after Pakistan’s group-stage exit from the World Cup 2023.
Babar captained Pakistan in all three formats starting October 2019, and led them to number one in ICC one-day international (ODI) rankings for the first time in May.
Shan Masood and Shaheen Afridi given charge of team
The PCB named left-handed batsman Shan Masood as the national side's Test captain and left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the Men in Green in the T20I format.
The decision was taken hours after Babar Azam stepped down as the skipper from all formats.
34-year-old Shan Masood has featured in 32 Tests, scoring 1,743 runs, which includes four centuries and nine half-centuries. He has been appointed captain till the end of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25.
Meanwhile, Shaheen Afridi will lead Pakistan team in the T20I format and his first assignment as captain will be the five-match T20I series in New Zealand from Jan 12 to 21. 23-year-old Shaheen has bagged 64 wickets in 52 T20Is.
Wahab Riaz appointed new chief selector
Former fast bowler Wahab Riaz was appointed as the chief selector of the national men’s selection committee.
Wahab, who made his international debut in 2008, represented Pakistan in 27 Tests, 91 ODIs and 36 T20Is picking up 237 wickets and scoring 1,200 runs across the three formats.
He was Pakistan’s second-most successful bowler in World Cups, registering 35 wickets across three editions of the marquee event.
New team management
The PCB announced the new team management for the Australia tour which includes Naveed Akram Cheema (Team manager), Mohammad Hafeez (Director – Pakistan men’s cricket team), Adam Hollioake (batting coach), Simon Grant Helmot (high performance coach), Umar Gul (fast bowling coach), Saeed Ajmal (spin bowling coach), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Mansoor Rana (assistant team manager), Shahid Aslam (assistant batting coach), Drikus Saaiman (strength and conditioning coach/Trainer), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Talha Ejaz (team analyst), Lt Col (Rtd) Akhtar Hussain (security manager), Raza Rashid Kitchlew (media manager), Ammar Ahsan (videographer), Dr Sohail Saleem (team doctor) and Malang Ali (team masseur).
Key players who got injured in 2023
20-year-old Naseem Shah was among the key players who got injured during Asia Cup, ruling him out of the World Cup 2023. Following the injury, the fast bowler underwent shoulder surgery. He is recovering fast and likely to be fit ahead of the PSL.
Other players on the injury list include fast bowlers Ihsanullah and Mohammad Husnain.
In the ongoing Test series against Australia, leg spinner Abrar Ahmed and left-arm spinner Noman Ali also got injured and were ruled out of the series.