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Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has defended the changes made to the national Test setup after a difficult England tour, pointing to recent progress in Pakistan's ODI and T20I rankings. Naqvi also hit back at those declaring Pakistan cricket to be in complete decline, using defeats suffered by South Africa and India as examples of how even strong teams can lose unexpected matches.
Pakistan have endured a turbulent England tour, losing the first Test by an innings and 103 runs before suffering a 194-run defeat at Lord's. The back-to-back losses resulted in a major overhaul ahead of the third Test, with seven players sent home and head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul replaced. The developments have triggered further questions over selection, injuries and the PCB's decision-making.
Pakistan cricket going through major turmoil
Pakistan's problems on the England tour have extended beyond their performances on the field. After being comprehensively beaten in the opening two Tests, the PCB made sweeping changes to the squad and coaching staff ahead of the third and final match at Edgbaston.
Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad were released from the Test squad. White-ball head coach Mike Hesson was brought in to replace Sarfaraz, while Ashley Noffke took over the bowling coach duties from Umar Gul.
The decision created another controversy when former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq resigned from the national selection committee. Reports said Misbah was unhappy that the selection committee was not consulted over the changes made to the Test squad.
There has also been an ongoing controversy surrounding Imam's calf injury. The opener suffered a low-grade strain while fielding at Lord's and did not bat in either innings. PCB selection committee member Aaqib Javed questioned the situation and called for an inquiry into how the injury was managed.
The England tour also saw a separate dispute involving the broadcast of an interview with former Pakistan captain and Prime Minister Imran Khan's sons during the Lord's Test. The PCB objected to the interview and reportedly threatened that Pakistan could boycott the match if it was aired, although the team eventually returned to the field.
The truth is, some people just want to finish me - Mohsin Naqvi
Amid the criticism surrounding Pakistan cricket, Mohsin Naqvi defended the team's broader record and argued that the recent setbacks should not be used to declare the entire system a failure.
Naqvi said that Pakistan have made measurable progress in white-ball cricket and insisted that the team would continue to make difficult decisions when players or combinations were not producing results. Mohsin Naqvi said:
"Let me ask you something. South Africa lost to Zimbabwe, India lost to Ireland. Did people say cricket was finished there too?Yes, one thing is certain: whenever we need this player, we'll back him. But if someone isn't performing consistently, what are we supposed to do? Every single match matters to us. There were many factors behind these two defeats.
"Agha is a tremendous player, but he simply wasn't clicking this time. That doesn't mean we told him to take a rest. We spoke to him and did everything we could. The goal isn't to throw anyone out; the goal is to make changes when someone isn't delivering.At the end of the day, we're accountable for results. What happened in the Test match and these two losses was unacceptable."
Mohsin Naqvi also pointed towards the progress made in Pakistan's limited-overs cricket under the current coaching setup. He stated:
"But, God willing, we'll improve in the coming days, just as we did in ODIs and T20Is. The truth is, some people just want to finish me. Let me give you a few facts. Since our new coaching staff arrived, we've moved from No. 8 to No. 5 in the ODI rankings. We've won four of our last six ODI series. In T20Is, we've climbed from No. 9 to No. 6, and our success rate has risen from 24% to 73%.
Stop demotivating my boys - Mohsin Naqvi
Mohsin Naqvi acknowledged that Pakistan's performance against England had been poor but rejected the idea that the team's entire cricket structure had collapsed. He urged critics to focus on facts while accepting that the PCB would remain responsible for selection and performance.
"I'm not talking about one specific match. Yet people keep saying Pakistan cricket is finished. Whenever we lose, everyone has the right to criticize us. But some people present it as if the entire system has collapsed. When players who've achieved nothing in cricket make such sweeping statements, it's unfair. I constantly seek advice from former players. Yes, our performance in this match was very poor. We've already discussed some of the reasons, while others aren't appropriate to reveal until we've reached a conclusion.
"There are factors beyond on-field performance that we're still working through. So saying Pakistan cricket is finished after moving from ninth to sixth and from eighth to fifth is simply unfair. We still need to improve a lot, and we have a long way to go.No team goes from ninth to No. 1 in three or six months," he added.
Mohsin Naqvi then asked critics to distinguish between legitimate criticism and what he considers baseless attacks on the players.
"Check these facts yourself. If they're wrong, hold us accountable. But stop demotivating my boys. If you have evidence, criticize us with facts, but don't make baseless accusations.The progress we've made in ODIs and T20Is belongs to this entire group. Yes, selection mistakes happen, and we'll be accountable for them. You'll see what we do next. But what's happening now is excessive. If anyone has a problem with me, criticize me personally, but don't target the players."
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