Blame the system and management of the PCB, not the clueless players

[FearlessRoar]

The Pakistan cricket team's struggles are often blamed on the players, but the truth is that the PCB's system and management are responsible.

A cricket board's main job is to find and develop new talent into top players. Cricket Australia's success with Steve Smith, who went from an average spin bowler to a great batter, shows that a good system works.

Similarly, the ECB's investment in young players has produced greats like Joe Root and Ben Stokes, who were once new but are now legends.

In contrast, the PCB's system has failed to develop talent due to poor programs, bad decisions, and a lack of planning. The board's focus on building a player pool from the PSL, rather than strengthening the domestic structure, has left players unprepared for international cricket.

Usman Khawaja, an Australian batter of Pakistani descent, has been vocal in numerous interviews about the need for stability within the PCB.

The PCB's management makes poor decisions, with frequent changes in coaches, selectors, and team management. This instability hurts player morale and performance. To fix Pakistan cricket, the PCB must admit its mistakes and fix the system. It's clear that 90% of the blame lies with the system and management, and only 10% with the players. We need to stop blaming players and fix the system.

 

[shortbread]

Agreed with what you're saying, BUT the players also share some of the blame for being more committed to their T20 mercenary careers than being focused on being full time multi format international cricketers.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Agreed with what you're saying, BUT the players also share some of the blame for being more committed to their T20 mercenary careers than being focused on being full time multi format international cricketers.

It's also due to a useless system and poor management. Actually we can say lack of discipline in the system.

 

[shortbread]

It's also due to a useless system and poor management. Actually we can say lack of discipline in the system.

Not just that, but players finding comfort in the ease of T20 league cricket where they do not need to push themselves physically or maintain the harsh discipline to be an international cricketer, and showing little intent in improving themselves in the longer formats of the game. Many of these individual choices were taken with selfish motives than for the betterment of Pakistan cricket. For eg. the nations premier batsman Babar Azam now looks like a soft toy version of himself. The players definitely need to accept blame for that, but yes in the grand scheme of things this mess is primarily down to PCB's incompetence.

 

[Devadwal]

No Pakistan fans are habbit of blaming PCB rather than PCT players

Not a single reason why PCT not won the series due to PCB management.

They dropped Shaheen as fans were wanted but at the end Pakistan lost the series 2-0 .

Babar is avarage player but PCT fans are hyping him too much. he is at best play supportive role in ODI formats thats it.

Reason why Pakistan are/ were losing home test series because they dont have any quality spinner's.

From 22-6 Bangladesh' scored 260+ , all thanks to useless, overhyped Abrar Ahmed.

Untill Pakistan don't find quality spinners they will lose series at home regularly .

 

[Rana]

Yeah I guess the management is wrong for hiring Kirsten and Gillespie, which lead to Babar scoring 40 off 40 against USA

 

[FearlessRoar]

Not just that, but players finding comfort in the ease of T20 league cricket where they do not need to push themselves physically or maintain the harsh discipline to be an international cricketer, and showing little intent in improving themselves in the longer formats of the game. Many of these individual choices were taken with selfish motives than for the betterment of Pakistan cricket. For eg. the nations premier batsman Babar Azam now looks like a soft toy version of himself. The players definitely need to accept blame for that, but yes in the grand scheme of things this mess is primarily down to PCB's incompetence.

Well said bro. and we know about those players, don't we? Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir - it's crystal clear that they don't want to play for Pakistan anymore. So, why were we begging them to play for us? Why didn't we produce a long-term replacement for them?

 

[zaidihusain]

The Pakistan cricket team's struggles are often blamed on the players, but the truth is that the PCB's system and management are responsible.

A cricket board's main job is to find and develop new talent into top players. Cricket Australia's success with Steve Smith, who went from an average spin bowler to a great batter, shows that a good system works.

Similarly, the ECB's investment in young players has produced greats like Joe Root and Ben Stokes, who were once new but are now legends.

In contrast, the PCB's system has failed to develop talent due to poor programs, bad decisions, and a lack of planning. The board's focus on building a player pool from the PSL, rather than strengthening the domestic structure, has left players unprepared for international cricket.

Usman Khawaja, an Australian batter of Pakistani descent, has been vocal in numerous interviews about the need for stability within the PCB.

The PCB's management makes poor decisions, with frequent changes in coaches, selectors, and team management. This instability hurts player morale and performance. To fix Pakistan cricket, the PCB must admit its mistakes and fix the system. It's clear that 90% of the blame lies with the system and management, and only 10% with the players. We need to stop blaming players and fix the system.

PCB must be blamed but the players who got consistent opportunities and all facilities since last 5-8 years must accept bigger blame. If you see 80% of the players like Babar, Shan, Shadab, Rizwan, Fakhar, Shaheen, Naseem, Haris Rauf, Iftekhar, Imam are in setup since last 5-10 years and most of them were first choice players in the team.

During last 4-5 years careers of many players were destroyed or cut short because of clear favoritism and inconsistent section policies. I have added year of debut against each player, and you can check these players have played most of matches without getting dropped unless injured.

Babar (2015), Iftekhar (2015), Shan (2013), Rizwan (2015), Fakhar (2017), Imam (2017), Shaheen (2018), Shadab (2017), Naseem (2019), Haris Rauf (2020)

I don't believe these players have any right to blame PCB for their failures

 

[RidiculousMan]

The Pakistan cricket team's struggles are often blamed on the players, but the truth is that the PCB's system and management are responsible.

A cricket board's main job is to find and develop new talent into top players. Cricket Australia's success with Steve Smith, who went from an average spin bowler to a great batter, shows that a good system works.

Similarly, the ECB's investment in young players has produced greats like Joe Root and Ben Stokes, who were once new but are now legends.

In contrast, the PCB's system has failed to develop talent due to poor programs, bad decisions, and a lack of planning. The board's focus on building a player pool from the PSL, rather than strengthening the domestic structure, has left players unprepared for international cricket.

Usman Khawaja, an Australian batter of Pakistani descent, has been vocal in numerous interviews about the need for stability within the PCB.

The PCB's management makes poor decisions, with frequent changes in coaches, selectors, and team management. This instability hurts player morale and performance. To fix Pakistan cricket, the PCB must admit its mistakes and fix the system. It's clear that 90% of the blame lies with the system and management, and only 10% with the players. We need to stop blaming players and fix the system.

Rightly said.

Always the players come under knife. The government, the state, PCB executives and the bureaucracy within stay or just shuffle positions.

1. Who made Babar captain, then removed him, then brought Shaheen, then removed Shaheen to bring Babar again? Who created this rift between them?
2. Who misdiagnosed Ihsanullah and many other pacers who are still in rehab?
3. Who is responsible for hiring Dr. Sohail again after knowing his track record with players in PCB?
4. Who was leaking the captain's messages and running campaigns through 2 cents journalists during Pakistan's 2023 World Cup campaign?
5. Who did corruption during the tickets sale during Pakistan v New Zealand series and before that?
6. Who fast tracked Shaheen when he got injured the first time and hasn't been able to achieve full fitness yet?
7. Who makes our pacers who get injured drop their pace by 5-10KPHs while other countries continue to rehab their pacers successfully without dropping the pace? E.g. Archer and Bumrah.
8. Who fails to address bowling mechanic problems early on and domestic Cricket. Allowing players like Usman Tariq to play PSL first, then call on his action mid way before making him clear and play play-offs. With the end result being that he is now not allowed to bowl in domestic, not getting selected in the Champions Cup?
9. Who changes the domestic structure every season?
10. Who allows Chairman PCB to come unopposed, un-elected everytime?
11. Who doesn't ask Chairman PCB to layout a clear roadmap and vision for Pakistan Cricket after first ensuring him of his tenure duration?
12. Who makes the two league NOC policy, allows player to participate in that many leagues and then restrict the players or make them pull out during the league all while damaging the player's relation with the league?
13. Who brings new coach every few months or other events?
14. Who allows player to slack under fitness and make compromises to keep players in?
15. Who runs the actual things in National High Performance center and goes accountable every time?
16. Who is always planning and conspiring to change captain before, during and after every series/event?

 

[Cricket Warrior]

failure of this system causing all these issues because its working like a factory from where we are getting all these players so we have to concentrate on the production level and fix the issues there not on the management level.

 

[FearlessRoar]

PCB must be blamed but the players who got consistent opportunities and all facilities since last 5-8 years must accept bigger blame. If you see 80% of the players like Babar, Shan, Shadab, Rizwan, Fakhar, Shaheen, Naseem, Haris Rauf, Iftekhar, Imam are in setup since last 5-10 years and most of them were first choice players in the team.

During last 4-5 years careers of many players were destroyed or cut short because of clear favoritism and inconsistent section policies. I have added year of debut against each player, and you can check these players have played most of matches without getting dropped unless injured.

Babar (2015), Iftekhar (2015), Shan (2013), Rizwan (2015), Fakhar (2017), Imam (2017), Shaheen (2018), Shadab (2017), Naseem (2019), Haris Rauf (2020)

I don't believe these players have any right to blame PCB for their failures

I'll still blame the system because PCB gave them consistent chances without accountability. For example, Haris Rauf is a mediocre bowler but got polished in between 2021-2022. Then again, the same poor performance because PCB was not holding him accountable. PCB even reinstated his central contract due to pressure from just a franchise of PSL. PCB didn't focus on the fitness of players. They just said, whatever is going on is fine, boys have talent. PCB has no clear policy whoever feels like playing Test cricket plays and whoever doesn't, doesn't. In T20I cricket, we have players, but in ODIs and Tests, we don't have players.

PCB has no policy which raw product to pick from where and how to prepare them for which format, what process to follow, and how to make its implementation mandatory.

Whatever needs to be fixed is the system and management. We are always told to fix the grassroots level but the real problem is the system and management.

 

[ghalib kichlu]

Wasim khan quit
Ramiz raja wasnt good enough
Sethi was only a journalist

Similarly we keep going back to Arthur and azhar every 6 months when things go bad again

 

[FearlessRoar]

Rightly said.

Always the players come under knife. The government, the state, PCB executives and the bureaucracy within stay or just shuffle positions.

1. Who made Babar captain, then removed him, then brought Shaheen, then removed Shaheen to bring Babar again? Who created this rift between them?
2. Who misdiagnosed Ihsanullah and many other pacers who are still in rehab?
3. Who is responsible for hiring Dr. Sohail again after knowing his track record with players in PCB?
4. Who was leaking the captain's messages and running campaigns through 2 cents journalists during Pakistan's 2023 World Cup campaign?
5. Who did corruption during the tickets sale during Pakistan v New Zealand series and before that?
6. Who fast tracked Shaheen when he got injured the first time and hasn't been able to achieve full fitness yet?
7. Who makes our pacers who get injured drop their pace by 5-10KPHs while other countries continue to rehab their pacers successfully without dropping the pace? E.g. Archer and Bumrah.
8. Who fails to address bowling mechanic problems early on and domestic Cricket. Allowing players like Usman Tariq to play PSL first, then call on his action mid way before making him clear and play play-offs. With the end result being that he is now not allowed to bowl in domestic, not getting selected in the Champions Cup?
9. Who changes the domestic structure every season?
10. Who allows Chairman PCB to come unopposed, un-elected everytime?
11. Who doesn't ask Chairman PCB to layout a clear roadmap and vision for Pakistan Cricket after first ensuring him of his tenure duration?
12. Who makes the two league NOC policy, allows player to participate in that many leagues and then restrict the players or make them pull out during the league all while damaging the player's relation with the league?
13. Who brings new coach every few months or other events?
14. Who allows player to slack under fitness and make compromises to keep players in?
15. Who runs the actual things in National High Performance center and goes accountable every time?
16. Who is always planning and conspiring to change captain before, during and after every series/event?

Bro you've done a great job categorizing the issues.Your summary accurately pinpoints the key problems and shedding light on the underlying disease that's been plaguing Pakistan cricket.

 

[hoshiarpurexpress]

The Pakistan cricket team's struggles are often blamed on the players, but the truth is that the PCB's system and management are responsible.

A cricket board's main job is to find and develop new talent into top players. Cricket Australia's success with Steve Smith, who went from an average spin bowler to a great batter, shows that a good system works.

Similarly, the ECB's investment in young players has produced greats like Joe Root and Ben Stokes, who were once new but are now legends.

In contrast, the PCB's system has failed to develop talent due to poor programs, bad decisions, and a lack of planning. The board's focus on building a player pool from the PSL, rather than strengthening the domestic structure, has left players unprepared for international cricket.

Usman Khawaja, an Australian batter of Pakistani descent, has been vocal in numerous interviews about the need for stability within the PCB.

The PCB's management makes poor decisions, with frequent changes in coaches, selectors, and team management. This instability hurts player morale and performance. To fix Pakistan cricket, the PCB must admit its mistakes and fix the system. It's clear that 90% of the blame lies with the system and management, and only 10% with the players. We need to stop blaming players and fix the system.

The players are clueless and need to be blamed as well. Did anyone ask Bahar and company to eat everything in India, go to howdy Texas IN US and behave like unleashed tourists?

 

[mominsaigol]

Well the Management is 100% at fault.

They appointed Misbah who burnt the t20 side into a corpse and made Babar captain

Then came ramiz who burnt domestic cricket

Then came naqvi who burnt everything into the ground.

Don't forget Imran Khan as well

 

[Misia]

Players are now exploiting that bad/corrupt system so now we have a vicious cycle where petty much 90/95% is working to exploit for its personal gain

 

[Rana]

Well the Management is 100% at fault.

They appointed Misbah who burnt the t20 side into a corpse and made Babar captain

Then came ramiz who burnt domestic cricket

Then came naqvi who burnt everything into the ground.

Don't forget Imran Khan as well

Wasim Khan is getting away Scot free here.

He’s played a HUGE role in this player power and overhyping player issue you have right now

 

[mominsaigol]

Wasim Khan is getting away Scot free here.

He’s played a HUGE role in this player power and overhyping player issue you have right now

Yeah him too

 

[Misia]

Time to get really strict
3 SEPERATE CAPATAINS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Red Ball Domestic structure comes first
NOC only if you play RED BALL DOMESTIC (tied in with all centrally contracted players)
PSL will not guarantee selection UNLESS THEY LOOK AT FORCING THEM TO USE PLAYERS FROM WITHIN PAKISTAN YOUNGER GENERATION MORE, so far, the owners/teams/captains want to win and we get the run of the mill foreign players the usual star players and odd new player, decrease both foreign and usual stars increase new players in a way that the must use the new players batting bowling

 

[zaidihusain]

I'll still blame the system because PCB gave them consistent chances without accountability. For example, Haris Rauf is a mediocre bowler but got polished in between 2021-2022. Then again, the same poor performance because PCB was not holding him accountable. PCB even reinstated his central contract due to pressure from just a franchise of PSL. PCB didn't focus on the fitness of players. They just said, whatever is going on is fine, boys have talent. PCB has no clear policy whoever feels like playing Test cricket plays and whoever doesn't, doesn't. In T20I cricket, we have players, but in ODIs and Tests, we don't have players.

PCB has no policy which raw product to pick from where and how to prepare them for which format, what process to follow, and how to make its implementation mandatory.

Whatever needs to be fixed is the system and management. We are always told to fix the grassroots level but the real problem is the system and management.

Agree. The biggest failure of PCB was providing free ride to many undeserving players who failed repeatedly. PCB has failed to take timely action on certain players and it has also failed to control player power. Yes, they also have no policy for player development from grassroot level

 

[FearlessRoar]

The real issue lies with the Pakistan Cricket Board's dysfunctional system and management

Since August 2021, we've had four different chairmen, each bringing their own brand of chaos. Ramiz Raja, Najam Sethi, Zaka Ashraf, and now Mohsin Naqvi have all contributed to the mess. It's like a never-ending game of musical chairs, with each new chairman undoing the work of the previous one.

The result? A team in disarray, with no clear direction or strategy. We've had multiple head coaches, selectors, and support staff, each with their own ideas and agendas. No wonder our players look confused and frazzled.

The PCB's obsession with change has meant that entire coaching systems and strategies have been discarded like trash. Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Mickey Arthur, and Mohammad Hafeez have all had their stints as head coach, but with no consistency or continuity.

And don't even get me started on the selectors. We've had a revolving door of chief selectors, including Shahid Afridi, Haroon Rasheed, and Wahab Riaz. No wonder we've used more players than any other team since August 2021.

The players are not the problem. it's the system that's failing them. Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi, two of our most valuable players, have been unsettled by the constant changes.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

Nothing to do with PCB or anything , Our youth is no longer interested in cricket anymore due to the lack of chances to earn well and progress well as a junior cricketer plus in this sport favoritism and nepotism also makes things difficult for youth players plus people can't afford to send their kids to cricket academies when they have no food on the table.

 

[gibsyhesperis]

Rightly said.

Always the players come under knife. The government, the state, PCB executives and the bureaucracy within stay or just shuffle positions.

1. Who made Babar captain, then removed him, then brought Shaheen, then removed Shaheen to bring Babar again? Who created this rift between them?
2. Who misdiagnosed Ihsanullah and many other pacers who are still in rehab?
3. Who is responsible for hiring Dr. Sohail again after knowing his track record with players in PCB?
4. Who was leaking the captain's messages and running campaigns through 2 cents journalists during Pakistan's 2023 World Cup campaign?
5. Who did corruption during the tickets sale during Pakistan v New Zealand series and before that?
6. Who fast tracked Shaheen when he got injured the first time and hasn't been able to achieve full fitness yet?
7. Who makes our pacers who get injured drop their pace by 5-10KPHs while other countries continue to rehab their pacers successfully without dropping the pace? E.g. Archer and Bumrah.
8. Who fails to address bowling mechanic problems early on and domestic Cricket. Allowing players like Usman Tariq to play PSL first, then call on his action mid way before making him clear and play play-offs. With the end result being that he is now not allowed to bowl in domestic, not getting selected in the Champions Cup?
9. Who changes the domestic structure every season?
10. Who allows Chairman PCB to come unopposed, un-elected everytime?
11. Who doesn't ask Chairman PCB to layout a clear roadmap and vision for Pakistan Cricket after first ensuring him of his tenure duration?
12. Who makes the two league NOC policy, allows player to participate in that many leagues and then restrict the players or make them pull out during the league all while damaging the player's relation with the league?
13. Who brings new coach every few months or other events?
14. Who allows player to slack under fitness and make compromises to keep players in?
15. Who runs the actual things in National High Performance center and goes accountable every time?
16. Who is always planning and conspiring to change captain before, during and after every series/event?

Excellent summary — the PCB is now as inept as the West Indies board were a while ago.
It is no surprise the players are insecure, play for themselves annd are always looking over their shoulders.

To be honest, a dysfunctional board in a country that has been somewhat dysfunctional for years.
Add to this list the Champions Trophy — a ridiculous vanity project from the current Chair where mentors are allegedly paid a huge sum for no good reason.
Why does each new Chair feel they have to do something to prove “their legacy” ?
Just think what that money could have done to improve grassroots cricket, go to the regions etc

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Rightly said.

Always the players come under knife. The government, the state, PCB executives and the bureaucracy within stay or just shuffle positions.

1. Who made Babar captain, then removed him, then brought Shaheen, then removed Shaheen to bring Babar again? Who created this rift between them?
2. Who misdiagnosed Ihsanullah and many other pacers who are still in rehab?
3. Who is responsible for hiring Dr. Sohail again after knowing his track record with players in PCB?
4. Who was leaking the captain's messages and running campaigns through 2 cents journalists during Pakistan's 2023 World Cup campaign?
5. Who did corruption during the tickets sale during Pakistan v New Zealand series and before that?
6. Who fast tracked Shaheen when he got injured the first time and hasn't been able to achieve full fitness yet?
7. Who makes our pacers who get injured drop their pace by 5-10KPHs while other countries continue to rehab their pacers successfully without dropping the pace? E.g. Archer and Bumrah.
8. Who fails to address bowling mechanic problems early on and domestic Cricket. Allowing players like Usman Tariq to play PSL first, then call on his action mid way before making him clear and play play-offs. With the end result being that he is now not allowed to bowl in domestic, not getting selected in the Champions Cup?
9. Who changes the domestic structure every season?
10. Who allows Chairman PCB to come unopposed, un-elected everytime?
11. Who doesn't ask Chairman PCB to layout a clear roadmap and vision for Pakistan Cricket after first ensuring him of his tenure duration?
12. Who makes the two league NOC policy, allows player to participate in that many leagues and then restrict the players or make them pull out during the league all while damaging the player's relation with the league?
13. Who brings new coach every few months or other events?
14. Who allows player to slack under fitness and make compromises to keep players in?
15. Who runs the actual things in National High Performance center and goes accountable every time?
16. Who is always planning and conspiring to change captain before, during and after every series/event?

PCB is just too pathetic. How can they fix cricket in Pakistan as they are not the doctors but the disease plaguing PCT

 

[zarak]

The Pakistan cricket team's struggles are often blamed on the players, but the truth is that the PCB's system and management are responsible.

A cricket board's main job is to find and develop new talent into top players. Cricket Australia's success with Steve Smith, who went from an average spin bowler to a great batter, shows that a good system works.

Similarly, the ECB's investment in young players has produced greats like Joe Root and Ben Stokes, who were once new but are now legends.

In contrast, the PCB's system has failed to develop talent due to poor programs, bad decisions, and a lack of planning. The board's focus on building a player pool from the PSL, rather than strengthening the domestic structure, has left players unprepared for international cricket.

Usman Khawaja, an Australian batter of Pakistani descent, has been vocal in numerous interviews about the need for stability within the PCB.

The PCB's management makes poor decisions, with frequent changes in coaches, selectors, and team management. This instability hurts player morale and performance. To fix Pakistan cricket, the PCB must admit its mistakes and fix the system. It's clear that 90% of the blame lies with the system and management, and only 10% with the players. We need to stop blaming players and fix the system.

Shaheen Afridi was nurtured, Babar was nurtured, Shadab was nurtured, Nawaz was nurtured. These guys have been coming to the NCA from their early teens. Who told them not to evolve their skill sets. Why has Babar not evolved beyond minnow bashing and run a ball fifties. Why is Shaheen bowling 130kph full tosses, why has Shadab deteriorated to the point that he is just a pie chucker.

These guys have been given chances but they lack the mentality and humility to build on their initial success. Only good for Panther Tires.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

PCB is just too pathetic. How can they fix cricket in Pakistan as they are not the doctors but the disease plaguing PCT

bhai they aren't just doctors... they are surgeons and a major surgery is about to happen in the year 2045.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

bhai they aren't just doctors... they are surgeons and a major surgery is about to happen in the year 2045.

Mohsin Naqvi's grandson will oversee it

 

[pakistani pride]

No excuse for being unfit.
Babar and Naseem, the 2 so called best bat and bowler are unfit and fitness is regressing big time of both.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Speaking during a recent media interaction, Younis Khan said:

"Departmental cricket has always supported players. I myself was able to play cricket because of UBL. The PCB needs to work on reviving departmental cricket, alongside promoting club cricket."

"It feels like sometimes the PCB doesn’t know its own identity. Even grocery vendors and fruit sellers know who should be the captain and coach, but it seems like the PCB doesn’t."

"Players like me shouldn’t be kept away from the PCB. I’m willing to train players for free if it helps improve the domestic structure."

 

[FearlessRoar]

the communication gap

https://twitter.com/x/status/1841508518215512192

 

[FearlessRoar]

When you don't have consistency in PCB management, how can you expect good performance from players?

 

[Rana]

Naqvi should be thrown into out because Pakistan Cat A players (2 out of 3) are currently 67-5 on a pitch where England scored 800

 

[Energy]

When you don't have consistency in PCB management, how can you expect good performance from players?

Irrespective of the management, there are 7-8 players in the XI who are playing all forms of cricket for years and have enough experience under all conditions.

If Shaheen, Naseem cannot take responsibility with the ball and Babar, Rizwan cannot take responsibility with the bat then it's the players who are at fault. The management should not be paying their salaries- that's something I'd suggest them to do.

 

[RidiculousMan]

When you don't have consistency in PCB management, how can you expect good performance from players?

Maybe Chairman needs to leak some more messages with the captain. Like Zaka with with Babar

 

[Savak]

Irrespective of the management, there are 7-8 players in the XI who are playing all forms of cricket for years and have enough experience under all conditions.

If Shaheen, Naseem cannot take responsibility with the ball and Babar, Rizwan cannot take responsibility with the bat then it's the players who are at fault. The management should not be paying their salaries- that's something I'd suggest them to do.

The players need to be held accountable. They have not justified their salaries and price tags for a long time now. The PCB has been too soft and friendly to the players for a long time now.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Three different coaches parted ways with Pakistan team in the last 18 months

Grant Bradburn May 2023 to November 2023
Mohammad Hafeez November 2023 to February 2024
Gary Kirsten April 2024 to October 2024

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Also blame the ex players, the incompetent gang

 

[FearlessRoar]

Shoaib Malik, while speaking on a show on a media platform:

"We are looking at the Indian cricket team, not just the national team, but if we go a little back, the policies of their cricket board have been very consistent."

"If there is a tournament or any policy made on anything, there is consistency in it, which is clearly visible. Whatever policies are made, they stick to them consistently. Because of this, the end result is that when their old players are playing, or when a new player comes in and plays alongside the experienced ones, you don’t see much difference."

"It shows that their [Indian Cricket] policies are very consistent. When your policies are consistent, your results will also be consistent."

"A lot of changes have happened [within PCB], a lot of changes. But I have my association with it, and I have sat in many meetings. Things have improved a lot. I won’t say that everything is perfect—things are not perfect—but they have improved significantly. And I am very hopeful that, Insha’Allah, in the next year, if things continue the same way, if the same chairman and the same people remain in charge, things will get much better."

 

[pakistani pride]

PCB does not force our paper tigers to run around the world to play every single T20 match.
PCB does not force them to skip red ball cricket or actual work on their game.

Its their pathetic mindset which is the issue.
Wasim, Waqar, Shoaib, Inzi, Saeed Anwar all also had to deal with PCB, but they still performed.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Cheteshwar Pujara emphasizes the need for Pakistan to back its youngsters and believes a proper system would develop them into much better players.

Do you agree with his take?

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

Shoaib Malik, while speaking on a show on a media platform:

"We are looking at the Indian cricket team, not just the national team, but if we go a little back, the policies of their cricket board have been very consistent."

"If there is a tournament or any policy made on anything, there is consistency in it, which is clearly visible. Whatever policies are made, they stick to them consistently. Because of this, the end result is that when their old players are playing, or when a new player comes in and plays alongside the experienced ones, you don’t see much difference."

"It shows that their [Indian Cricket] policies are very consistent. When your policies are consistent, your results will also be consistent."

"A lot of changes have happened [within PCB], a lot of changes. But I have my association with it, and I have sat in many meetings. Things have improved a lot. I won’t say that everything is perfect—things are not perfect—but they have improved significantly. And I am very hopeful that, Insha’Allah, in the next year, if things continue the same way, if the same chairman and the same people remain in charge, things will get much better."

He's the mentor for one of the domestic teams & is getting a decent pay check. Such statements mean nothing.

Pak cricket is at a terrible place, possibly after the 80s we are at our lowest. The decline is continuous & alarming. We don't have replacements for players like Imran, Wasim which is ok because they were ATGs but we don't even have players who can replace Afridi or Hafeez.

 

[Snowflake]

Pakistan's problem lies in the team culture and mindset.

The culture right now lets players prioritize individual performance over team performance.

A ruthless culture, like that of Aus and Ind, where team performance is supreme is what Pakistan needs. Individuals, who do not play as per this mindset, need to be told exactly that.

Push players to play impactful innings - not innings that only help them secure their place in the side.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Sana Mir, while speaking on a local media outlet show:

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Too much power is not good, and too little power is also not good. When we talk about the entire system, we need to approach it with the mindset that I have a domain, and I have to take others along with me. A system will only be built when we move away from personality-based systems where one person has all the power and does everything. Otherwise, the system will never change."

"Unfortunately, whenever changes have happened in the PCB, they have mostly happened in a way where one person comes in and decides how domestic cricket should be run. The ones below don’t say anything."

"When departmental cricket was shut down, I raised the most noise because while men’s cricket suffered, our entire nursery was wiped out. The performances of women’s cricket declined because our contracts are only given to 20 players, and even those are not structured in a way that allows them to become proper professional cricketers."

"Why didn’t more people speak against the system? The few who did were slowly sidelined. We lack tolerance, whereas a healthy system, a healthy culture in any organization, allows for disagreement. Unfortunately, that does not exist within this organization. Until we address this issue as a whole, we will keep focusing only on players. We have all been players; we have experienced these things."

"Some players are at fault for being reluctant to change. But at the same time, it is necessary to promote a healthy culture where, despite differences of opinion, we can still work with each other."

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Yeah I guess the management is wrong for hiring Kirsten and Gillespie, which lead to Babar scoring 40 off 40 against USA

Kirsten joined the team not even a week he had to work with and he was given a team where they changed the captaincy and also brought back IMad and Amir from nowhere , when they played USA...
He couldnt even play his part for 1 series as a coach, but discarded for someone like Aaqib who wants all power...
Look what this buff**n did now, selected players from nowhere , dropped players from a winning unit, no spinner , no opener , made Babar to open and lost thrice against NZL and lost against India miserably , couldnt even compete at all...

The avg of pace bowling unit is 50+ for a wicket...

When they defeated Australia and SA , i thot the selection committee is doing good..
They selected Arafat Minhas, Faisal Akram , Sufyan Muqeem and Abraar Ahmed.thot thats the plan for CT2025 then ended up throwing everyone and going with Abraar who is not conventional spinner... also Sajid and Noman doing great in home series..

 

[Savak]

These players have been around 2016-2017. They should absolutely be blamed and taken to the cleaners.

 

[Asif321]

Lol what system . These bunch of craps were given 7 years and still failed .

 

[hoshiarpurexpress]

Sana Mir, while speaking on a local media outlet show:

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Too much power is not good, and too little power is also not good. When we talk about the entire system, we need to approach it with the mindset that I have a domain, and I have to take others along with me. A system will only be built when we move away from personality-based systems where one person has all the power and does everything. Otherwise, the system will never change."

"Unfortunately, whenever changes have happened in the PCB, they have mostly happened in a way where one person comes in and decides how domestic cricket should be run. The ones below don’t say anything."

"When departmental cricket was shut down, I raised the most noise because while men’s cricket suffered, our entire nursery was wiped out. The performances of women’s cricket declined because our contracts are only given to 20 players, and even those are not structured in a way that allows them to become proper professional cricketers."

"Why didn’t more people speak against the system? The few who did were slowly sidelined. We lack tolerance, whereas a healthy system, a healthy culture in any organization, allows for disagreement. Unfortunately, that does not exist within this organization. Until we address this issue as a whole, we will keep focusing only on players. We have all been players; we have experienced these things."

"Some players are at fault for being reluctant to change. But at the same time, it is necessary to promote a healthy culture where, despite differences of opinion, we can still work with each other."

Lol performance of women's cricket? What performance is she taking about?

 

[usman.sandhu]

The Pakistan cricket team's struggles are often blamed on the players, but the truth is that the PCB's system and management are responsible.

A cricket board's main job is to find and develop new talent into top players. Cricket Australia's success with Steve Smith, who went from an average spin bowler to a great batter, shows that a good system works.

Similarly, the ECB's investment in young players has produced greats like Joe Root and Ben Stokes, who were once new but are now legends.

In contrast, the PCB's system has failed to develop talent due to poor programs, bad decisions, and a lack of planning. The board's focus on building a player pool from the PSL, rather than strengthening the domestic structure, has left players unprepared for international cricket.

Usman Khawaja, an Australian batter of Pakistani descent, has been vocal in numerous interviews about the need for stability within the PCB.

The PCB's management makes poor decisions, with frequent changes in coaches, selectors, and team management. This instability hurts player morale and performance. To fix Pakistan cricket, the PCB must admit its mistakes and fix the system. It's clear that 90% of the blame lies with the system and management, and only 10% with the players. We need to stop blaming players and fix the system.

If after playing international cricket for 5-7+ years on average, the likes of Babar and Rizwan cannot score and SSA, Haris Rauf & Naseem cannot take wickets or stem the flow of runs, how is the board responsible for this..

The board has its own issues, which need to be addressed and fixed, but turning out pathetic performances in the past 3 ICC events is majorly on the players, they have no desire to improve and show no spirit in the way they play..

Absolutely pathetic bunch, COWARDS is the right word to describe them..

Work Ethic - zero
Fitness - zero
Skill - 3/10
Media hype - 11/10

Do you think BCCI tells Virat to watch his diet and work on his fitness? Or asks Ravindra Jadeja to follow a regime to stay agile as he gets older...?

Do you think BCCI asks Shami and Burma to work on their pace and swing?

Players take pride in playing of their country, they put their heart and soul into this, they do whatever it takes to be competitive at the top level.. and most of all they don't fear losing, they fight and give it their all...

Our pathetic players are cowards, they have no idea how to build an innings or take wickets... all they think about is which ad campaign do they want to be a part of next...

If we have any dignity left, we must get rid of Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen, Haris and Naseem - we cannot carry these cowards anymore..

 

[Slim]

Always blame chairmans, management but never the third class players.

Classic deluded pakistani cricket fans.

 

[themens]

These players have been around 2016-2017. They should absolutely be blamed and taken to the cleaners.

Absolutely they should be blamed and taken to the cleaners but...

Why have you given them the ability to be around since 2016-17?

Why do you keep picking them?

Why have you allowed the core players, who have not performed in so long, to be so powerful within the setup?

Is it not up to management or selectors to make a tough call and see what the rest of the talent pool looks like or is this really the best we have?

We have kids that look good for a few games/spells and then completely fall off a cliff... Why are you not able to capitalize on their talent and mold them into consistent match winners?

There is something seriously wrong with the culture of Pakistan Cricket that I don't see improving any time soon I'm sorry

 

[emranabbas]

These players have been around 2016-2017. They should absolutely be blamed and taken to the cleaners.

Need to go back to old days burning effigies and throwing stones at players house

 

[Xoib]

You disrespect test cricket and your white ball game will suffer. Our pacers have shown no spine to grind it at test cricket hence they have stagnated in skills, fitness and bowling smarts

 

[JaDed]

You disrespect test cricket and your white ball game will suffer. Our pacers have shown no spine to grind it at test cricket hence they have stagnated in skills, fitness and bowling smarts

Would had been true if happened to Afghans as well but it didn’t, PCT are suffering in every form of the game, stardom has gone to their heads.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Management is to be blamed because they were even more scared then the players. Mgmt should have taken bold step and selections should have been done on merit always but we all know how it works in PCB.

Why not blame management now???

 

[FearlessRoar]

PCB must respect their domestic performers

 

[FearlessRoar]

Haider Azhar criticizes PCB's lack of support for PSL franchises in player development.

Should PSL teams build an off-season structure to groom young talent?

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[BouncerGuy]

Key director positions vacant as resignations rock PCB leadership​

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) faces a challenging period as two key director positions have fallen vacant following the resignations of senior officials. Director High Performance Nadeem Khan recently stepped down after completing his notice period, and his departure comes on the heels of Director Media and Communications Samiul Hassan’s resignation just weeks prior. Both roles have now been officially removed from the PCB’s website.

Nadeem Khan, a former cricketer and elder brother of ex-captain Moin Khan, played a pivotal role in shaping domestic cricket structures and training modules during his tenure at the PCB’s High Performance Centre. Sources indicate that he is now expected to join Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans in a senior capacity. The reasons behind the consecutive resignations remain unclear, and PCB officials have refrained from issuing formal statements.

Insiders suggest that Aqib Javed, former fast bowler and head coach of Lahore Qalandars, is being considered for the vacant Director High Performance position. Aqib, a 1992 World Cup champion, has garnered acclaim for his role in nurturing young talent through the Qalandars’ talent hunt programme.

The recent departures mark a turbulent phase within the PCB’s leadership, raising concerns about internal management and the board’s ability to retain senior professionals. Observers note that the PCB has not exclusively relied on former international cricketers for directorial positions, further adding intrigue to the evolving situation.

SOURCE: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/13...ns-vacant-as-resignations-rock-pcb-leadership

 

[topspin]

You know and I know that its not going to happen. As painful as it was, the guy that said they will end up playing for Canada or in the Canadian league was absolutely right.
@topspin
Where are you views on the PK SYSTEM?

You raised this in the Umar Zab thread, so I thought it would be better to address it here, where it’s actually relevant.

Pakistan’s system has always been deeply flawed, but there are two key points I want to highlight:

1. IK wasn’t just another former player, he was a World Cup winning captain and one of Pakistan’s most revered leaders, so naturally the expectations placed on him were higher. Yet, by his own admission, he appointed Babar Azam after watching him only twice. Making such an important decision on the basis of two brief assessments shows poor judgement and is hard to defend from someone widely regarded as Pakistan’s greatest cricketer. He compounded this with other questionable decisions, such as attempting to shrink the domestic structure to mirror Australia’s and appointing Misbah, who had neither the experience nor the qualifications to become Head Coach (and Chief Selector).

2. Babar Azam’s shortcomings cannot be blamed on the system, because he falls well short of Pakistan’s greatest batsmen. At best, he has two genuinely standout innings and his overseas Test record is modest: only two centuries away from home, with just one outside Asia. His declining fitness and conditioning point to a weak work ethic and as another respected poster, DeadlyVenom, noted, he has shown little desire to improve. It’s on him to seek development - whether by playing in a more professional environment or consulting specialists.

A good case in point here is Shan Masood. Despite his limited natural ability, he has improved dramatically since his early Test days. In red‑ball cricket, he remains Pakistan’s best player off the back foot, and for someone with his limitations, he has performed admirably in Australia and South Africa.

 

[topspin]

You raised this in the Umar Zab thread, so I thought it would be better to address it here, where it’s actually relevant.

Pakistan’s system has always been deeply flawed, but there are two key points I want to highlight:

1. IK wasn’t just another former player, he was a World Cup winning captain and one of Pakistan’s most revered leaders, so naturally the expectations placed on him were higher. Yet, by his own admission, he appointed Babar Azam after watching him only twice. Making such an important decision on the basis of two brief assessments shows poor judgement and is hard to defend from someone widely regarded as Pakistan’s greatest cricketer. He compounded this with other questionable decisions, such as attempting to shrink the domestic structure to mirror Australia’s and appointing Misbah, who had neither the experience nor the qualifications to become Head Coach (and Chief Selector).

2. Babar Azam’s shortcomings cannot be blamed on the system, because he falls well short of Pakistan’s greatest batsmen. At best, he has two genuinely standout innings and his overseas Test record is modest: only two centuries away from home, with just one outside Asia. His declining fitness and conditioning point to a weak work ethic and as another respected poster, DeadlyVenom, noted, he has shown little desire to improve. It’s on him to seek development - whether by playing in a more professional environment or consulting specialists.

A good case in point here is Shan Masood. Despite his limited natural ability, he has improved dramatically since his early Test days. In red‑ball cricket, he remains Pakistan’s best player off the back foot, and for someone with his limitations, he has performed admirably in Australia and South Africa.

@Bewal Express

If you want to reply to this, respond to it here not on the Umar Zab thread. You don't have to run. Address the points raised in this post.

 

[Bewal Express]

@Bewal Express

If you want to reply to this, respond to it here not on the Umar Zab thread. You don't have to run. Address the points raised in this post.

So what are the shortcomings in the system? Why don't actually elaborate so we can debate fully?

 

[topspin]

So what are the shortcomings in the system? Why don't actually elaborate so we can debate fully?

I hope you had a chance to read post #58 and understand why I stopped supporting IK. After looking into things myself, I came to the conclusion that he was incompetent and careless. If someone with his stature was making such basic errors, I couldn’t see how he was ever going to deliver a “Naya Pakistan”. We don’t have to agree, but I hope you can at least see where I’m coming from and respect that perspective.

Moving on, I’m happy to address your question about the deeper issues within Pakistan’s cricketing culture and system.

The core problem is political interference. Since the Prime Minister serves as the PCB’s Chief Patron, every political shift brings a new Chairman. These constant changes disrupt long term planning and each new administration brings its own policies, coaches, captains, selectors and selection philosophies. There is no stability.

I strongly disagree with Mohsin Naqvi’s appointment as Chairman and many of his decisions seem driven more by political considerations than cricketing logic.

Pakistan’s weak domestic structure is another major factor. Without a stable, competitive first class system, player development inevitably suffers.

There have also been repeated reports of financial and administrative mismanagement, which affects everything from infrastructure to player pathways. The poor state of Pakistan’s pitches is a perhaps direct consequence of this.

The lack of cricketing intelligence is also apparent:

• Pakistan has yet to produce a genuinely high quality coach. Both the PCB and former players share responsibility here. Despite their playing achievements, many ex‑players lack the tactical understanding, work ethic, communication skills, and broader awareness needed to become strong coaches
• Pitch preparation is outdated and unscientific. Groundsmen rely on old methods and there’s little expertise in producing balanced competitive surfaces

Before the 2000s, Pakistan could get away with their poor system because many players gained professionalism and technical refinement through County Cricket. As the global game has become more data driven and science based, Pakistan has fallen further behind.

On top of that, the talent pool has narrowed. Most players now come from underprivileged backgrounds with limited exposure to media, education or professional environments. We've seen a number of cases of players who've struggled to handle the media spotlight and new found fame. In the more distant past, players came from more diverse and socially polished backgrounds. If Pakistan wants to progress, it not only need to fix its system, it also needs to broaden and diversify its talent pipeline again.

 

[Bewal Express]

I hope you had a chance to read post #58 and understand why I stopped supporting IK. After looking into things myself, I came to the conclusion that he was incompetent and careless. If someone with his stature was making such basic errors, I couldn’t see how he was ever going to deliver a “Naya Pakistan”. We don’t have to agree, but I hope you can at least see where I’m coming from and respect that perspective.

Moving on, I’m happy to address your question about the deeper issues within Pakistan’s cricketing culture and system.

The core problem is political interference. Since the Prime Minister serves as the PCB’s Chief Patron, every political shift brings a new Chairman. These constant changes disrupt long term planning and each new administration brings its own policies, coaches, captains, selectors and selection philosophies. There is no stability.

I strongly disagree with Mohsin Naqvi’s appointment as Chairman and many of his decisions seem driven more by political considerations than cricketing logic.

Pakistan’s weak domestic structure is another major factor. Without a stable, competitive first class system, player development inevitably suffers.

There have also been repeated reports of financial and administrative mismanagement, which affects everything from infrastructure to player pathways. The poor state of Pakistan’s pitches is a perhaps direct consequence of this.

The lack of cricketing intelligence is also apparent:

• Pakistan has yet to produce a genuinely high quality coach. Both the PCB and former players share responsibility here. Despite their playing achievements, many ex‑players lack the tactical understanding, work ethic, communication skills, and broader awareness needed to become strong coaches
• Pitch preparation is outdated and unscientific. Groundsmen rely on old methods and there’s little expertise in producing balanced competitive surfaces

Before the 2000s, Pakistan could get away with their poor system because many players gained professionalism and technical refinement through County Cricket. As the global game has become more data driven and science based, Pakistan has fallen further behind.

On top of that, the talent pool has narrowed. Most players now come from underprivileged backgrounds with limited exposure to media, education or professional environments. We've seen a number of cases of players who've struggled to handle the media spotlight and new found fame. In the more distant past, players came from more diverse and socially polished backgrounds. If Pakistan wants to progress, it not only need to fix its system, it also needs to broaden and diversify its talent pipeline again.

You can support whoever you like and its my right to challenge you and your ilk. IK will never be worse than the criminals he exposed.
The problems you outlined are actually the problems IK faced when trying to bring PK into a country that cared for its people. His achievements dont need your seal of approval. We saw what he was trying to achieve and what he was up against.
The PCB is microcosm of PK and some of what you is accurate. It is a board used to allow PMs and Generals to award criminals for favours rendered. For example Naqvi helped to murder Zille Shah and used his media empire to facilitate the criminals. IK appointed RR, Misbah and Babar but he didn't do so as a reward for RR, Babar and Misbah after they killed people for him or were part of the London plan( Sethi)
The system is flawed because of the very people @Rana and others support. Those people have no interest in details or care for PK cricket- they care for protocol and power.
In the space of a few months we appointed coaches, sacked them, appointed WhatsApp coaches, sacked him, appointed a captain that should never have been appointed and sacked him and reappointed and the circus goes on.

In the light of these facts and what's gone on with FC for decades, how is talent going to flourish. I, unlike you guys have seen at close quarters the working of county cricket, and see the Professionalism of lower level staff, and I only can imagine the work of the higher ups
The pitches are poor because no one cares- good wickets take money and time, not just "gardeners". This leads to our players finding any wickets with pace and bounce more than a challenge against genuine pace. We have only won 3 tests in our entire history in Australia and only 2 in SA. So when you go after Babar, remember the terrible,low wickets they played their early careers on. Had Babar and others been brought up in system with consistent FC cricket on good wickets, he( they) too would have developed a more all round game or been found out and dropped. The fact is the Pros around the World know this and appreciate how many more hurdles our players face, however you dont.

Many years I spoke to Saqlain( along with many others) and asked him about PK wickets and he said they are nothing wickets. Our players are the product of disorganised board who doesnt care. That is a systemic flaw.

So in summary I agree with some your assessment but go further with the criticism of a corrupt system that rewards political arrse lickers

 

[topspin]

You can support whoever you like and its my right to challenge you and your ilk.

What do you mean exactly when you say "your ilk?"

IK will never be worse than the criminals he exposed.
The problems you outlined are actually the problems IK faced when trying to bring PK into a country that cared for its people. His achievements dont need your seal of approval. We saw what he was trying to achieve and what he was up against.
The PCB is microcosm of PK and some of what you is accurate. It is a board used to allow PMs and Generals to award criminals for favours rendered. For example Naqvi helped to murder Zille Shah and used his media empire to facilitate the criminals. IK appointed RR, Misbah and Babar but he didn't do so as a reward for RR, Babar and Misbah after they killed people for him or were part of the London plan( Sethi)
The system is flawed because of the very people @Rana and others support. Those people have no interest in details or care for PK cricket- they care for protocol and power.
In the space of a few months we appointed coaches, sacked them, appointed WhatsApp coaches, sacked him, appointed a captain that should never have been appointed and sacked him and reappointed and the circus goes on.

This isn’t a discussion about murder. It’s about the Pakistani cricket system and the extent to which political interference has damaged it. IK made things even worse after the 2019 World Cup for reasons I've already explained in full if you scroll up to post 58, which you conveniently dodged because let's face it you know you stand no chance of contesting it. Hence why you're now resorting to whataboutery and desperately trying to divert this discuss elsewhere.

Imran Khan was a legend of the sport and, in my view, Pakistan’s greatest cricketer, so naturally the expectations for him were higher than for those who came before him. Yet he performed worse than his predecessors and deepened the problems. Given his background, it’s hard to excuse how badly he misjudged things.

In the light of these facts and what's gone on with FC for decades, how is talent going to flourish. I, unlike you guys have seen at close quarters the working of county cricket, and see the Professionalism of lower level staff, and I only can imagine the work of the higher ups
The pitches are poor because no one cares- good wickets take money and time, not just "gardeners". This leads to our players finding any wickets with pace and bounce more than a challenge against genuine pace. We have only won 3 tests in our entire history in Australia and only 2 in SA. So when you go after Babar, remember the terrible,low wickets they played their early careers on. Had Babar and others been brought up in system with consistent FC cricket on good wickets, he( they) too would have developed a more all round game or been found out and dropped. The fact is the Pros around the World know this and appreciate how many more hurdles our players face, however you dont.

Many years I spoke to Saqlain( along with many others) and asked him about PK wickets and he said they are nothing wickets. Our players are the product of disorganised board who doesnt care. That is a systemic flaw.

So in summary I agree with some your assessment but go further with the criticism of a corrupt system that rewards political arrse lickers

This is a very weak argument for several reasons. To begin with, you’re portraying Babar as if he were somehow neglected by Pakistan cricket, when in reality few players have ever received the level of backing he did. He was part of the system from childhood, had consistent coaching, and benefited from early exposure to professional cricket through his cousins, the Akmal brothers. He had the best headstart that he could possibly wish for as a youngster aspiring to become a Pakistani cricketer.

Babar’s shortcomings do reflect broader issues within Pakistani society, particularly the lack of educational grounding. But as DeadlyVenom pointed out, there comes a stage where a player must take initiative and responsibility for their own growth. This is why I believe one of the major missteps was appointing him captain - a decision made under Imran Khan’s tenure. Once he struggled in that role, the psychological impact was significant, and he never truly recovered from it.

When it comes to personal development, he could have sought out specialist coaching the way Shan Masood did, who has become Pakistan’s most competent back‑foot player in recent years.

Despite the system’s shortcomings, we’ve seen players with far less natural talent rise above it. Azhar Ali is a perfect example. He averaged over 40 in after playing almost 100 Tests and produced several big tons, including a triple hundred. Younis Khan wasn’t the most naturally gifted either, yet he built the finest Test record of any Pakistani batsman and his captaincy was a major factor in Pakistan's sole WT20 triumph.

The way I see it, it's obvious that you have no choice to support Babar Azam because you fear your support for IK will be called into question. But you can acknowledge that IK made serious mistakes in cricket administration and still support him politically. The issue is that your financial investment has also become an emotional one.

Support IK if you want, that’s entirely your choice. But let’s not rewrite history. His decisions as Prime Minister had a damaging impact on Pakistan cricket.

 

[Bewal Express]

What do you mean exactly when you say "your ilk?"



This isn’t a discussion about murder. It’s about the Pakistani cricket system and the extent to which political interference has damaged it. IK made things even worse after the 2019 World Cup for reasons I've already explained in full if you scroll up to post 58, which you conveniently dodged because let's face it you know you stand no chance of contesting it. Hence why you're now resorting to whataboutery and desperately trying to divert this discuss elsewhere.

Imran Khan was a legend of the sport and, in my view, Pakistan’s greatest cricketer, so naturally the expectations for him were higher than for those who came before him. Yet he performed worse than his predecessors and deepened the problems. Given his background, it’s hard to excuse how badly he misjudged things.



This is a very weak argument for several reasons. To begin with, you’re portraying Babar as if he were somehow neglected by Pakistan cricket, when in reality few players have ever received the level of backing he did. He was part of the system from childhood, had consistent coaching, and benefited from early exposure to professional cricket through his cousins, the Akmal brothers. He had the best headstart that he could possibly wish for as a youngster aspiring to become a Pakistani cricketer.

Babar’s shortcomings do reflect broader issues within Pakistani society, particularly the lack of educational grounding. But as DeadlyVenom pointed out, there comes a stage where a player must take initiative and responsibility for their own growth. This is why I believe one of the major missteps was appointing him captain - a decision made under Imran Khan’s tenure. Once he struggled in that role, the psychological impact was significant, and he never truly recovered from it.

When it comes to personal development, he could have sought out specialist coaching the way Shan Masood did, who has become Pakistan’s most competent back‑foot player in recent years.

Despite the system’s shortcomings, we’ve seen players with far less natural talent rise above it. Azhar Ali is a perfect example. He averaged over 40 in after playing almost 100 Tests and produced several big tons, including a triple hundred. Younis Khan wasn’t the most naturally gifted either, yet he built the finest Test record of any Pakistani batsman and his captaincy was a major factor in Pakistan's sole WT20 triumph.

The way I see it, it's obvious that you have no choice to support Babar Azam because you fear your support for IK will be called into question. But you can acknowledge that IK made serious mistakes in cricket administration and still support him politically. The issue is that your financial investment has also become an emotional one.

Support IK if you want, that’s entirely your choice. But let’s not rewrite history. His decisions as Prime Minister had a damaging impact on Pakistan cricket.

For politics Your ilk means
It means the beghairat that support a coup but talk in code and deny an obvious reality. It means those that are brought up on haraam because their parents stole from a poor country. It means those that celebrated when 75 year women were attacked as they waited to see their brother with a court order. It means those that have lived in denial as 1000s have been arrested and murdered. I hope that helps

For Cricket- its the losers that spend all day bitching about Babar and Riz.

Babar has fallen away, that is obvious. But Babar and our players have been betrayed by a system which is so disorganised that captains are hired and fired on whims of Generals and egos. How can any player feel at ease and be sure of their place. Would Australia be the best team in history if they had our system? Khwaja would have got a game in FC in PK, in Australia he was in series their best player


And do you really think my likes and dislikes are coloured by IKs likes and dislikes for Cricketers
Once again a stupid statement by a guy with no idea about why I like Babar. For me Babar has no links to IK and his politics and even if he did, so what. IK thought the World of WA, I always thought the likes of Donald and Mcgrath were better. When Babar bats well, his batting makes me feel at ease. His stroke play when in form is amongst the best from any PK batsman since MY. Its the reason millions of PKS like him, its why the Foreign players and Pundits like him. You guys hate it because most PKs don't subscribe to your way of thinking. Whether you like him or not, the vast majority will always be wishing the best for him.
So stop this nonsense. Its IKs politics and leadership I support, not his likes and dislikes of Cricketers.

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

We are finally seeing a resurgence in our youth cricket. It has taken 3 year of hard work and now the results are starting to show.

IK govt massacred PCB, profitabilty, domestic and youth systems.

Ramiz couldn't even deliver a pitch. An incompetent administrator selected by an even more incompetent prime minister.

Good news is those dark days are behind us now and there is a clear pathway to progress.

Another 5 years and the international squads will start feeling the impact. Not long to go. This time our progress will be durable and sustainable.

 

[daytrader]

IK wasn’t just another former player, he was a World Cup winning captain and one of Pakistan’s most revered leaders, so naturally the expectations placed on him were higher. Yet, by his own admission, he appointed Babar Azam after watching him only twice. Making such an important decision on the basis of two brief assessments shows poor judgement and is hard to defend from someone widely regarded as Pakistan’s greatest cricketer. He compounded this with other questionable decisions, such as attempting to shrink the domestic structure to mirror Australia’s and appointing Misbah, who had neither the experience nor the qualifications to become Head Coach (and Chief Selector).

Misbah was a very vocal critic of the domestic reforms. He openly supported Departmental cricket as it's a source of livelihood for many of our cricketers.

He wasn't a yes man to IK as you're portraying

 

[Rana]

Misbah was a very vocal critic of the domestic reforms. He openly supported Departmental cricket as it's a source of livelihood for many of our cricketers.

He wasn't a yes man to IK as you're portraying

He might not have been a complete yes man but no one was. Khan made detrimental decisions with long term, harmful affects but he didn’t even twist the arm of Ramiz Raja on some matters.

Misbah being given power by Khan made decisions on his personal accord that have had CATASTROPHIC consequences towards Pakistan cricket. Khan will have to take accountability for his appointments but Misbah will forever be remembered as the clown who foolishly allowed Rizwan to have more power and influence than he should ever have been trusted with. Misbah’s hands have their fair share of blood on them.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Players are to be blamed as well... PCB can make policies and select a pathetic team as well, but it is also the player's job to perform on ground. If the player does not perform and then he goes to media and starts crying then he is the problem because TBH, if you are getting a chance, you have to cash in on it...

 

[topspin]

For politics Your ilk means
It means the beghairat that support a coup but talk in code and deny an obvious reality. It means those that are brought up on haraam because their parents stole from a poor country. It means those that celebrated when 75 year women were attacked as they waited to see their brother with a court order. It means those that have lived in denial as 1000s have been arrested and murdered. I hope that helps

This reminds me of Redwood when he called you out for you incoherent nonsense

For Cricket- its the losers that spend all day bitching about Babar and Riz.

Babar has fallen away, that is obvious. But Babar and our players have been betrayed by a system which is so disorganised that captains are hired and fired on whims of Generals and egos. How can any player feel at ease and be sure of their place. Would Australia be the best team in history if they had our system? Khwaja would have got a game in FC in PK, in Australia he was in series their best player

Irrelevant. IK had every opportunity to improve the system, yet he only made it worse. Despite having played at the highest level, he admitted to appointing Babar Azam after merely watching him twice, put Misbah in charge as both Head Coach and Chief Selector and attempted to downsize Pakistan’s domestic structure. Unforgivable. Had IK been in charge of Australia's system, only God knows how much damage he would have done to their cricket given his level of incompetence.

As for Usman Khawaja, you're just repeating Rashid Latif's take. The guy is nothing more than a buff **n. If you can't form your own opinion, I would suggest you don't take them from those dumb ex-players.

And do you really think my likes and dislikes are coloured by IKs likes and dislikes for Cricketers
Once again a stupid statement by a guy with no idea about why I like Babar. For me Babar has no links to IK and his politics and even if he did, so what. IK thought the World of WA, I always thought the likes of Donald and Mcgrath were better. When Babar bats well, his batting makes me feel at ease. His stroke play when in form is amongst the best from any PK batsman since MY. Its the reason millions of PKS like him, its why the Foreign players and Pundits like him. You guys hate it because most PKs don't subscribe to your way of thinking. Whether you like him or not, the vast majority will always be wishing the best for him.
So stop this nonsense. Its IKs politics and leadership I support, not his likes and dislikes of Cricketers.

Babar was IK's appointment. You asked for evidence and I proved it. You have no choice but to support him because you're afraid that your support for IK will be called into question. It was never about stroke play, when I first asked you about this. This was your rationale for supporting Babar:

He is too young and too classy to fade away.

Not yet. Too young and too classy.

Imagine Babar without losers looking for him to fail and with the Aussie system behind him. Imagine Babar with his talent brought up on true wickets.

It doesn't matter how many times I expose IK's incompetence with his handling of Pakistan cricket, you will continue to dodge and divert the discussion elsewhere because you have been schooled and are part of a cult.

 

[topspin]

Misbah was a very vocal critic of the domestic reforms. He openly supported Departmental cricket as it's a source of livelihood for many of our cricketers.

He wasn't a yes man to IK as you're portraying

Imran Khan lost power in April 2022.

Misbah become a vocal critic of IK's domestic reforms in the following year, once departmental cricket was restored.

Misbah found his voice once IK became irrelevant.

 

[daytrader]

Imran Khan lost power in April 2022.

Misbah become a vocal critic of IK's domestic reforms in the following year, once departmental cricket was restored.

Misbah found his voice once IK became irrelevant.

You're wrong, as usual. I know you're going to double down so how about you put your money where your mouth is and say have a little wager? If you're wrong, you go the rest of 2026 without mentioning Misbah. Deal?

 

[topspin]

You're wrong, as usual.

This is rich coming from someone who's been exposed for cropping pictures to suit their narrative. Even your fellow Misbah supporter, had to expose you for your dishonesty. That's speaks volumes about your standing and reputation on here.

This isn't time where you've been humiliated either. You were left with egg on your face after what happened to Rizwan in the BBL. Imagine being forced to retire and told to get out

It's you who's always wrong. Misbah's criticism of IK's domestic reforms did take place once IK was out of office. I use Perplexity Pro for my research. This is what came up:




If you don't want to take my word, please feel free to type in the exact same question and tell me what comes up. As for the source:

We require a change in way we are operating our cricket structure: Misbah

KARACHI: Pakistan's former captain and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has said that changing the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will not make any differ

www.newindianexpress.com

 

[topspin]

If you're wrong, you go the rest of 2026 without mentioning Misbah. Deal?

I don't know why you're so touchy about me mentioning Misbah. What exactly are you afraid of? If you genuinely cared about Pakistan cricket’s best interests, you’d at least acknowledge and engage with some of the criticism I’ve raised.

But the issue is that you treat Babar, Rizwan and Misbah as if they’re untouchable Messiahs. Comments like this make it obvious:

I will gladly gloat any metric that Riz/Bar lead in even if you think it's not important and even at the expense of being called a clown.

This really shows how deep your cult mindset runs.

 

[topspin]

This is rich coming from someone who's been exposed for cropping pictures to suit their narrative. Even your fellow Misbah supporter, had to expose you for your dishonesty. That's speaks volumes about your standing and reputation on here.

This isn't time where you've been humiliated either. You were left with egg on your face after what happened to Rizwan in the BBL. Imagine being forced to retire and told to get out

It's you who's always wrong. Misbah's criticism of IK's domestic reforms did take place once IK was out of office. I use Perplexity Pro for my research. This is what came up:


View attachment 160741

If you don't want to take my word, please feel free to type in the exact same question and tell me what comes up. As for the source:

We require a change in way we are operating our cricket structure: Misbah

KARACHI: Pakistan's former captain and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has said that changing the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will not make any differ

www.newindianexpress.com

@Rana Didn't take long for Misbah to find his voice as soon as IK became irrelevant

Brief timeline:

9th April 2022: Imran Khan was removed from office as PM
28th April 2022: Misbah starts criticising IK's domestic reforms

 

[Rana]

@Rana Didn't take long for Misbah to find his voice as soon as IK became irrelevant

Brief timeline:

9th April 2022: Imran Khan was removed from office as PM
28th April 2022: Misbah starts criticising IK's domestic reforms

They also need to look carefully in the involvement of Misbah’s cousin/relative who’s the director of domestic cricket. There were floating accusations of Niazi making the system to accommodate Misbah’s son by altering some rules.

Considering how Misbah has a track record of favouring his agency, his department and particular set of players, that too by making ridiculous decisions such as opening T20 sides with Tofeeque Umar and Rizwan (lol)…then it’s pretty clear that this boy Faham is the successor of The Laanti dynasty of Misbah to Rizwan to Faham.

 

[topspin]

They also need to look carefully in the involvement of Misbah’s cousin/relative who’s the director of domestic cricket. There were floating accusations of Niazi making the system to accommodate Misbah’s son by altering some rules.

Deeply disturbing for genuine Pakistan's well wishers but can't say I'm surprised. Misbah's corrupt mindset was there for everyone to see when he was involved in ousting Mickey Arthur merely to take his job for himself. At the time, not only IK went out of his way not only to appoint Misbah as the new Head Coach but also handed him the Chief Selector role. This is a textbook example of the system being bent to suit Misbah’s interests. There was clearly something suspicious in the dynamic between IK and Misbah.

Considering how Misbah has a track record of favouring his agency, his department and particular set of players, that too by making ridiculous decisions such as opening T20 sides with Tofeeque Umar and Rizwan (lol)…then it’s pretty clear that this boy Faham is the successor of The Laanti dynasty of Misbah to Rizwan to Faham.

Faham can play if he’s actually good - technically, intellectually and mentally, and if he tosses Misbah’s entire playbook in the trash. But the odds of that happening are slimmer than winning the lottery.

 

[daytrader]

This is rich coming from someone who's been exposed for cropping pictures to suit their narrative. Even your fellow Misbah supporter, had to expose you for your dishonesty. That's speaks volumes about your standing and reputation on here.

This isn't time where you've been humiliated either. You were left with egg on your face after what happened to Rizwan in the BBL. Imagine being forced to retire and told to get out

It's you who's always wrong. Misbah's criticism of IK's domestic reforms did take place once IK was out of office. I use Perplexity Pro for my research. This is what came up:


View attachment 160741

If you don't want to take my word, please feel free to type in the exact same question and tell me what comes up. As for the source:

We require a change in way we are operating our cricket structure: Misbah

KARACHI: Pakistan's former captain and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has said that changing the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will not make any differ

www.newindianexpress.com

Shabash bro you've finally started using that brain of yours and put some effort although you're still wrong.

I dunno much about AI but for me a a simple PP and Google search would suffice to prove your point wrong.

Example 1 -

Direct quotes from Imran Khan in 2020 -

"Pakistan had a totally different system which I was explaining to Misbah and others.
And I was at pains to explain to Hafeez, Misbah and Azhar that there will be teething pains in the new system we have brought in and this is normal whenever a change is made"
The Prime Minister mentioned Misbah by name noting his criticism of the new system. A yes man doesn't demand explanations.

Source: https://ppforum.pakpassion.net/thre...-pakistan-to-be-changed-pm-imran-khan.296248/

Example 2 -

Misbah speaking to journalists in 2021 - again showing support for Departments and continuing to advocate the cause with the Prime Minister.

“The people running the department sports had the experience of organising cricket. I am a supporter of departmental cricket and went to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan to discuss this,”

Source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/912794-game-deteriorated-after-department-teams-closure-misbah


That's just 2 examples and there's many more as such. I'm sure you can use Perplexity to find them.