"Even Pakistan coaches don't want to work with PCB.."- Misbah-ul-Haq

Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has expressed his disappointment over Pakistan players and coaches not being given a long rope to prove themselves.

The former cricketer is closely associated with Pakistan cricket for more than two decades now. After retiring from the game as a player, Misbah-ul-Haq plied his trade as a head coach and chief selector of the Pakistan team between 2019 and 2021. Having seen Pakistan cricket from close quarters, he is well aware of it shortcomings and believes that the lack of faith in players and coaches is one of them.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is known for frequently sacking captains and coaches. Just a couple of months ago, they removed Babar Azam as the captain in all three formats in addition to sacking the whole backroom staff following Pakistan’s poor performance in the ODI World Cup. Pakistan managed to win just 4 of their 9 league games and failed to progress to the semifinals.

Misbah-ul-Haq laments the lack of support for players and coaches:

Speaking to the media, Misbah-ul-Haq claimed that not only foreign coaches but local coaches do not want to work with the PCB as well. The former Pakistan captain was critical of PCB’s policies and lamented the way Pakistan cricket is being run at the moment. He stated that Pakistan Cricket needs to work on long-term plans before stating that every leadership change in PCB changes the situation.

“If you look at the policies of the board let alone foreign coaches I don’t think even our local coaches want to work with the PCB,” Misbah-ul-Haq told the media in Karachi.

“Pakistan cricket should not be run in such a haphazard manner and we need to have long-term plans for the team management, selectors, and grooming of players. Unfortunately in Pakistan, a change in the board leadership changes everything.

“I believe you can’t make a good team or groom quality players if proper time is not given for this process. We need to look at the systems of some other countries that are successful,” he added.

Speaking further, Misbah-ul-Haq backed Pakistan to do well in this year’s T20 World Cup, saying: “Our players are also used to conditions in the West Indies so we should be among the front runners.”

He also shared his views on the much-talked-about No Objection Certificate (NOC) policy of the PCB, saying that the players should not be stopped from playing overseas T20I leagues if they are free.

“If a player is free for say two months why shouldn’t he be allowed to go and earn money in a league but yes giving permission to players before the World Cup was a big mistake. I say have a situation-based policy for NOCs and foreign leagues,” said Misbah.