The year 2024 for Pakistan cricket was a roller-coaster ride—full of ups and downs, unexpected twists, and unforgettable moments.
The first half was disappointing, with several heartbreaking defeats, but the team managed to turn things around in the latter half, making it a see-saw year. Let’s take a closer look at how the year 2024 unfolded for Pakistan cricket.
A Rocky Start to the Year
Pakistan’s year began with high hopes, but it quickly turned into a nightmare. Shan Masood, taking over as the Test captain, faced a stern test right from the beginning as Pakistan was handed a humiliating 3-0 whitewash in Australia.
The team’s struggles continued as they faced New Zealand in a five-match T20I series, where Pakistan suffered a 4-1 defeat. This series marked Shaheen Afridi’s first and only stint as captain of the national team so far.
This heavy defeat came after Babar Azam was replaced by Shaheen, only to be reinstated later as the captain ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, which reportedly created friction between the two.
Amid the leadership chaos, Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim came out of retirement, declaring their availability for the mega-event.
A Bumpy Road to the T20 World Cup
Under Babar Azam’s leadership, Pakistan’s T20 World Cup preparations did not go as planned. They struggled in the lead-up to the tournament, drawing a five-match T20I series at home against a second-string New Zealand side.
Pakistan’s performance took another hit when they toured Ireland for a three-match T20I series. While they bounced back to win 2-1 after a historic first-ever T20I loss to Ireland, their form remained shaky.
They then toured England for a final pre-World Cup series, only to lose 0-2, with two matches washed out.
Pakistan’s T20 World Cup Heartbreak
The Pakistan team entered the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 with lacklustre momentum, having won only one series—against Ireland. Their poor form came to the fore in the tournament, where they were knocked out in the group stage, a bitter blow to their campaign.
The Green Shirts’ campaign took a devastating turn with an unexpected defeat to the USA in the group stage. Meanwhile, in the much-anticipated clash against arch-rivals India, they narrowly lost by six runs while chasing a modest total of 120.
The defeats against the USA and India left Pakistan’s World Cup hopes hanging by a thread. Pakistan’s exit from the tournament was sealed with a heartbreaking abandonment of the crucial USA-Ireland fixture, officially marking the end of their campaign.
They returned home after consolation victories against Canada and Ireland.
Islamabad United’s Historic PSL Victory
A highlight of 2024 was the thrilling final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024, where Islamabad United claimed their third PSL title. They triumphed over Multan Sultans in a nail-biting finish, with young Hunain Shah playing a pivotal role in guiding his team to victory.
Despite a shaky middle-order performance, Islamabad’s strong start, spearheaded by Colin Munro and Martin Guptill, and crucial contributions from Azam Khan and Imad Wasim, ensured they could chase down 160 to win. The victory was made sweeter as Islamabad United became the first team to win three PSL titles, solidifying their dominance in the competition.
The Historic Test Whitewash Against Bangladesh
After the T20 World Cup debacle, Pakistan’s cricketing woes continued in the Test format. Under Shan Masood’s leadership, Pakistan suffered a humiliating 2-0 whitewash against Bangladesh, their first-ever loss to the Tigers in a Test series.
Pakistan, who had an undefeated record against Bangladesh in Test cricket before this series, were stunned by a 2-0 loss, which included a crushing 10-wicket defeat in the first Test. The defeat raised serious questions about the team’s approach to Test cricket and left the captain, Shan Masood, under immense pressure.
Pakistan’s Comeback Against England
Things took a dramatic turn when Pakistan faced England in a three-match Test series. After a heavy defeat in the first Test by an innings and 47 runs, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made bold changes.
A new selection committee was appointed, which included Aqib Javed and Aleem Dar. The new committee made several key decisions like dropping several senior players and bringing in spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan.
The strategy of preparing dry pitches and introducing innovative methods like gas-powered patio heaters and industrial fans for spin-friendly conditions worked wonders. Pakistan’s spinners dominated, claiming 39 of the 40 wickets in the series, leading to a remarkable turnaround as Pakistan won 2-1, much to the relief of their supporters.
A New Dawn Under Mohammad Rizwan
The appointment of Mohammad Rizwan as the new white-ball captain also marked a turning point for Pakistan.
Under Rizwan, Pakistan pulled off a historic series win in Australia, clinching a 2-1 victory in a three-match ODI series—Pakistan’s first series win in Australia since 2002. Haris Rauf was instrumental in the win, taking 10 wickets and earning the Player of the Series award.
However, the success was short-lived, as Pakistan was swept 3-0 in the subsequent T20 series against Australia, where their batting struggled against the pace attack.
Pakistan’s fortunes in ODI cricket continued to improve under Rizwan as he led the team to a 2-1 victory in Zimbabwe, followed by a historic victory against South Africa.
Pakistan started the tour with a heartbreaking loss in the T20I series, however, they bounced back to become the first team to clean-sweep South Africa in an ODI series, winning 3-0.
Young opening batter Saim Ayub was the star of the series as he scored 235 runs, with two centuries, and claimed two wickets in three matches. His all-around contributions earned him the Player of the Series award.
A Year that Ended with Thrills and Heartbreak
The year ended with another exciting yet heartbreaking chapter for Pakistan as they faced South Africa in a two-match Test series.
Pakistan fought valiantly in the Boxing Day Test, with Abbas, returning to the international fold after three years, picking up six wickets in the second innings, while defending a modest total.
But despite his heroics, Pakistan fell short by just two wickets, as Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen guided South Africa to victory in a thrilling finish.
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