“Thought Morne Morkel Was Nothing”: Pakistan Stars Torn Apart Over India Bowling Coach’s Stint

File photo of Morne Morkel

Team India’s one-sided 280-run victory against Bangladesh in Chennai has given cricket pundits plenty of food for thought. Bangladesh arrived in the series with a 2-0 sweep in Pakistan, hoping to continue their brilliant form in the sub-continent. However, Rohit Sharma & Co. maintained their upper hand throughout the match, wrapping up the result in 3 days and one session. Seeing India secure a dominant victory against the Bangla Tigers, former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali called out his country’s bowlers, for their poor mindset.

Basit claimed that Pakistani pacers like Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, etc. considered themselves bigger than India’s current bowling coach Morne Morkel, who was coaching the Pakistan team last year.

“The Pakistani bowlers consider themselves to be bigger than cricket. They thought that Morkel was nothing in front of us,” Basit said on his YouTube channel.

As the Pakistan team’s performances remain in disarray, some of their former cricketers have come down heavy at the team and the management. Even the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hasn’t been spared by the retired stars.

Bangladesh did manage to complete a clean sweep by beating Pakistan 2-0 in their own home, but found little success against India. Basit feels the results against Bangladesh show the real difference between the Pakistan team and the Indian team at present.

“We got to know the difference. This is the same Bangladesh played against Pakistan, where it seemed as if Pakistan were completely on the back foot. This is the same Bangladesh that whitewashed Pakistan. The difference is of mindset, thinking and class,” he added.

Basit also heaped a huge praise on India’s current bowling unit, comparing them with Pakistan greats like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar. 

The Indian team will next be in action against Bangladesh in the second Test of the series, taking place in Kanpur from September 27.

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