Pakistan Cricket in Crisis, key member leaves the team in between ongoing series
Published - 19 Nov 2025, 12:44 PM | Updated - 19 Nov 2025, 12:47 PM
Table of Contents
Pakistan cricket has been hit with a major setback as former captain Azhar Ali has reportedly walked away from all his key roles in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) amid the T20I Tri-Nation series at home against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
Azhar Ali had joined the Pakistan selection committee in October 2024, working alongside the former ICC umpire Aleem Dar, former pacer Aqib Javed, and Asad Shafiq.
They had made headlines immediately by taking tough decisions, removing big names like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah from the last two tests of the series against England.
Azhar Ali shocks Pakistan Cricket as he quits all PCB roles
The gamble paid off, as Pakistan turned things around and clinched the Test series 2–1 at home. But now, in a surprise development, Azhar has reportedly stepped down from his PCB responsibilities.
Read Also: Bhuvneshwar Kumar breaks silence on team India for the 1st time after Gautam Gambhir's takeover
As reported by Geo News, Azhar Ali resigned as a member of the national men’s selection committee and as the Head of Youth Development on Tuesday (November 18). His exit comes at a time when the board has been focusing heavily on rebuilding its long-term player pathway.
While the PCB has not released an official statement, the timing of Azhar’s exit has raised eyebrows. Many believe Azhar’s decision is linked to former captain Sarfraz Ahmed’s recent rise within the PCB.
Sarfraz has been handed major responsibilities, taking charge of both the Pakistan Shaheens and the Under-19 setup, and this move created a significant rift within the board.
Azhar Ali's career in numbers
Notably, Azhar was one of the most successful and respected figures in Tests. From 2010 to 2022, he was one of the team’s most reliable batters, playing 97 Tests and 53 ODIs. Azhar also led the side in nine Tests and 31 ODIs and played a key role in their ICC Champions Trophy victory in 2017.
With 7,097 test runs at an average of 42.49, Azhar is Pakistan’s fifth-highest run-scorer, behind only Younis Khan, Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Mohammad Yousuf. He scored 19 centuries and 34 half-centuries and made his first Test fifty just two matches after debuting at Lord’s in 2010.
Pakistan vs Zimbabwe Match Highlights
Meanwhile, the Men in Green kicked off the T20I Tri-Series in style, pulling off a thrilling five-wicket win over Zimbabwe, thanks to Mohammad Nawaz’s brilliant all-round performance.
The hosts were pushed into a tight chase, but Nawaz kept his cool and smashed a quick 21 off just 12 balls to power the Men in Green home with four deliveries left in Rawalpindi.
The innings began on a shaky note as Babar Azam fell for a duck, but Fakhar Zaman’s 44 off 32 balls steadied the ship.
Usman Khan played a solid knock of an unbeaten 37 from 28 balls to keep the chase steady. Earlier, the hosts chose to bowl first, and Zimbabwe got off to a strong start at 72 for no loss.
But the Zimbabwe team collapsed dramatically to 128 for 8 before captain Sikandar Raza rescued the innings with a late unbeaten 34. Brian Bennett was the top scorer with 49 off 36 balls.
Nawaz picked up two crucial wickets, while Shaheen Afridi, Saim Ayub, Abrar Ahmed, and Salman Mirza chipped in with one wicket each. Zimbabwe finished with 147, but it wasn’t enough against the hosts.
About the Author
Rashmi Wasnik is a passionate content writer with over a decade of experience. She started her journ... Read more
