[EXCLUSIVE] "Regional racism destroyed Pakistan cricket": Faisal Iqbal

[The Bald Eagle]

In our latest exclusive interview, former Pakistan Test cricketer Faisal Iqbal — nephew of the legendary Javed Miandad, and former head coach of Balochistan and batting coach of Karachi Kings — reflects on his rollercoaster career and the systemic flaws holding back Pakistan cricket. Drawing on over two decades of experience as both player and coach, Faisal offers a candid, no-holds-barred critique of the politics, biases, and deep-rooted challenges stifling the game’s true potential.

Key topics include:

"It’s always been a case of not letting me play” – Faisal’s battles with nepotism and abrupt career end reflect a harsh reality in Pakistan cricket where talent is often overshadowed by favoritism and connections, denying deserving players their rightful opportunities.

“There is serious provincial racism in Pakistan” – Regional bias blocking talent from Balochistan and beyond highlights how players from less represented areas face systemic discrimination, limiting their chances to shine on the national stage despite their abilities.

Coaching in Balochistan: Unearthing hidden gems like Haseeb Ullah and Bangal Zaid shows that despite neglect, there is significant untapped talent in the region that could flourish with proper support and exposure.

“Everyone is responsible for Pakistan cricket destruction” – The toxic blame culture among ex-players and officials points to a fragmented environment where finger-pointing replaces constructive collaboration, further harming the sport’s development.

“Foreign coach, local coach merry-go-rounds must stop” – Fixing Pakistan’s flawed coaching system requires stability and a clear vision rather than constant changes that disrupt team progress and player development.

“We need to change the mind and heart of everybody” – Honesty and strict leadership to revive the team emphasize that beyond technical skills, a cultural and ethical transformation is essential to restore Pakistan cricket’s integrity and success.

Watch his full interview with Saj here:

 

[BouncerGuy]

Agreed. There is racism but the bigger issue is Parchi system.

 

[Asad T]

I would have thought that being Miandad's nephew would have helped. But I guess not. Good analysis, though; reminds me of Atiq a bit with how brazen he is

 

[BunnyRabbit]

I have never heard anyone from a city other than Karachi cry about regional racism. If someone like Khurram Manzoor had made that claim, it would have made sense.

 

[Aang_The_last_airbender]

In our latest exclusive interview, former Pakistan Test cricketer Faisal Iqbal — nephew of the legendary Javed Miandad, and former head coach of Balochistan and batting coach of Karachi Kings — reflects on his rollercoaster career and the systemic flaws holding back Pakistan cricket. Drawing on over two decades of experience as both player and coach, Faisal offers a candid, no-holds-barred critique of the politics, biases, and deep-rooted challenges stifling the game’s true potential.

Key topics include:

"It’s always been a case of not letting me play” – Faisal’s battles with nepotism and abrupt career end reflect a harsh reality in Pakistan cricket where talent is often overshadowed by favoritism and connections, denying deserving players their rightful opportunities.

“There is serious provincial racism in Pakistan” – Regional bias blocking talent from Balochistan and beyond highlights how players from less represented areas face systemic discrimination, limiting their chances to shine on the national stage despite their abilities.

Coaching in Balochistan: Unearthing hidden gems like Haseeb Ullah and Bangal Zaid shows that despite neglect, there is significant untapped talent in the region that could flourish with proper support and exposure.

“Everyone is responsible for Pakistan cricket destruction” – The toxic blame culture among ex-players and officials points to a fragmented environment where finger-pointing replaces constructive collaboration, further harming the sport’s development.

“Foreign coach, local coach merry-go-rounds must stop” – Fixing Pakistan’s flawed coaching system requires stability and a clear vision rather than constant changes that disrupt team progress and player development.

“We need to change the mind and heart of everybody” – Honesty and strict leadership to revive the team emphasize that beyond technical skills, a cultural and ethical transformation is essential to restore Pakistan cricket’s integrity and success.

Watch his full interview with Saj here:

Agreed. There is racism but the bigger issue is Parchi system.

I would have thought that being Miandad's nephew would have helped. But I guess not. Good analysis, though; reminds me of Atiq a bit with how brazen he is

Irony?

Looking at his career. He averaged barely in 20's and still got to play 26 Tests for Pakistan. Got multiple chances for a career of ten years and this was during 2000s when Pakistan actually had decent batting line up!

In ODIs, he averaged 20 with a SR of 60s.

 

[Aang_The_last_airbender]

Irony is God level from this guy
Looking at his career, he himself is a standard parchi example. A batsman averaging barely in 20s and still got to play 26 Tests for Pakistan. Being nephew of Javed Miandad worked wonders. Got multiple chances for a career of ten years and this was during 2000s when Pakistan actually had decent batting line up!

In ODIs, this great player averaged 20 with a SR of 60s. Parchis like him kept lots of players like Misbah out of Pakistan National Side.

The nephew of Miandad got to debut for National Pakistan team at the age of 19 without playing U-19 ...

I remember the trend in late 90s and 2000s of debuting super young cricketers and build someone like Sachin, he was Miandad's attempt at saying " Dekho mera Bhaanja/Bhatija, Tendulkar se better banega"

 

[Aang_The_last_airbender]

He got to Play 26 TESTS for Pakistan and 18 ODIS?? Exactly similar example we had was Rohan Gavaskar, a mediocre player of an ATG Sunil Gavaskar. He managed to get 11 ODIs and ZERO TESTS. His selection was called out then and he is nowhere seen in Indian cricket.

 

[BouncerGuy]

This interview truly exposes the deep-rooted issues in Pakistan cricket—nepotism, regional bias, and instability. Serious changes are needed to bring the game back on track.

 

[Farhan The Man]

And religious hate.

inzi blocked misbah's entry due to sunni deobandi vs. sunni barelvi chasm. You can just extrapolate the disdain they had for minorities.

Chickens finally coming home to roost.

 

[JattMaula]

He got to Play 26 TESTS for Pakistan and 18 ODIS?? Exactly similar example we had was Rohan Gavaskar, a mediocre player of an ATG Sunil Gavaskar. He managed to get 11 ODIs and ZERO TESTS. His selection was called out then and he is nowhere seen in Indian cricket.

Rohan accepted his lot in life with grace imo. Nowadays, he is a decent commentator in domestic scene with good knowledge about newer players and is open about his privileged start in cricket.