The whole of 2024 was very eventful and a journey where disappointment, resistance, and new historic achievements intertwined with each other. The entire year started by giving significant shocks, but with a remarkable winning streak at the tail end, brought back hope again.
Early Challenges: A Testing Start
Pakistan’s cricketing year did not get off on a particularly stable note, at least, after losing 3-0 in the Benaud-Qadir Trophy against Australia. That isn’t an ideal start to life as Test captain for Shan Masood.
T20I was not much different either, where Pakistan went on to lose the series 4-1 against New Zealand. Although the home series against the very same opponent was drawn, that too felt like an opportunity missed to get back to winning ways.
The T20 World Cup was not an exception either. Following a good T20I series victory over Ireland, Pakistan could not advance beyond the group stage. Narrow defeats – including a six-run loss to India and defeat in a Super Over to the USA – sealed their fate. An early exit with a shocking defeat to the USA left fans feeling disappointed.
Test cricket also highlighted their problems as Pakistan had to suffer their first-ever series whitewash against Bangladesh and raise questions about Shan Masood’s leadership under immense pressure as it went on to raise questions about Pakistan’s red-ball cricket team.
A Glorious Recovery: Resilience Meets
The country proved itself to be as resilient in the latter part of the year as it was below the par line initially in the calendar with a home Test series against England. After losing the first match, the Pakistan Cricket Board implemented novel measures like drying pitches using industrial fans. It fetched them a historic 2-1 series win as the spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan took 39 of the 40 wickets of England in the last two matches.
Mohammad Rizwan was the star leader in ODIs. Pakistan registered a historic 2-1 series win over Australia, which marked their first win on Australian soil since 2002. It was followed by another ODI series win over Zimbabwe. In T20, Salman Ali Agha led Pakistan to a 2-1 series win, which showed the strength and flexibility of the team.
The year ended on a high note with an extraordinary 3-0 ODI series whitewash against South Africa, the first for Pakistan on African soil. Emerging star Saim Ayub played a pivotal role, delivering consistent match-winning performances.
Historic Victory in Blind Cricket
Pakistan’s blind cricket team gave the country a proud moment by winning the first-ever Blind T20 World Cup. They defeated Bangladesh by 10 wickets in the final match, thus breaking India’s long-standing dominance over the tournament.
Looking forward to 2025
Year 2024 for Pakistan cricket was one of two halves. When early defeats had signaled alarm, smart decisions and sheer resilience had swept away the early inability with some match-changing history and evidence of better days.
A team such as Pakistan cricket boasting talent at the level of Saim Ayub and good leadership by Mohammad Rizwan indicates that perhaps this might be one of Pakistan cricket’s smarter years.
Your Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What were Pakistan’s main successes in 2024?
Major highlights of Pakistan were a 2-1 Test series win against England, a 3-0 ODI whitewash of South Africa, and winning the Blind T20 World Cup.
Q: Which player made a difference in 2024?
A: Saim Ayub was the one who really stood out, especially in the ODI series against South Africa.
Q: How did Pakistan do in the T20 World Cup?
A: Pakistan faced early elimination, with narrow losses to India and the USA contributing to their group-stage exit.
Q: What role did Mohammad Rizwan play in Pakistan’s success?
A: As captain, Rizwan led Pakistan to ODI series victories against Australia and Zimbabwe, displaying exceptional leadership.
Q: What were the key challenges faced by Pakistan cricket in 2024?
A: Their inability to cope up with a 3-0 Test whitewash against Bangladesh, inconsistent T20 performances, and an early exit from the T20 World Cup.
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