What's new

Have you lost faith in Pakistan Cricket?

M

Mohammad Aizaz

Debutant
Joined
Aug 2, 2017
Runs
45
For decades, Pakistan cricket has been defined by unpredictability, capable of brilliance one day and collapse the next. But after the recent thrashing at the hands of India in the Asia Cup 2025, many fans feel the “unpredictable” tag has shifted from being exciting to being frustrating. Repeated failures against top-ranked teams, poor planning, questionable selections, and a lack of long-term vision have left supporters disillusioned. While there is undeniable talent in the system, the absence of structure, consistency, and a modern cricketing mindset makes it difficult to compete with the best. Faith in Pakistan cricket hasn’t disappeared entirely; it’s built on too rich a legacy for that, but patience is wearing thin. Supporters want results, responsibility, and a clear plan for the future.

So the question is, have you lost faith or you are still hopeful for a turn around?
 
Cricket has become far more professional. With leagues sprouting around, teams are getting used to all the players. Strengths and weaknesses get exposed. So you are in a situation where you have to evolve constantly or be left out. The maverick performances don't consistently bail you out anymore. This is just applicable for the T20 formats. How many current pakistan players would walk into playing XI of top 5 T20 teams?

In T20, competing is going to get harder and harder as other teams are also constantly evolving with the advantage of taking part in leagues like IPL, SA20 which pakistan players miss out on.
 
until the standard of domestic red ball and PSL is raised things will remain the same..even for hitting big shots there have to be some basic tecnique which gets honed when you play domestic..if i am not wrong even a t20 player like abhishek played a lot FC games..also some solution must be found out where pakistan attracts decent foreign talent at PSL ..and for gods sake move on from "pace is pace yaar" approach..fast bowlers in white ball need all type of skill not just pace, bowling slowers and cutters are also important
 
Let's not overreact. Pak were better with the bat today. Indians were under pressure during the first half of the Pak innings. The innings just stalled in the middle overs after a brisk start. With better game smartness, they could have and should have posted 200+/- after the start. Need to utilise the middle overs better. Milk the spinners for ones and twos if you cannot hit a boundary. Those extra 30 runs or so would have created more pressure on the Indian batsmen, and they might have made mistakes. Chasing 170 is not the same as chasing 200+. There is a fine line between victory and defeat.

Also let's not forget that India are the current T20 champions
 
Indian players are pressurized to up skill because of the relentless competition for spots from domestic cricket, IPL and the national team.

Even someone like Kohli with all his past achievements was pushed out by the selectors because he was unable to perform and maintain his past standards because India had plenty of ready replacements. Even now for every position in the playing eleven and bench there are a good 20-30 replacements.

An Indian C team will defeat this existing Pakistani C Team.

The reality of the Pakistani team is not a surprise. Our players are just never forced to up skill, they play on past reputations, the PSL franchises and the owners allow them to do what they want, award them platinum contracts, captaincy without performances and the PCB issues Nocs for subpar leagues at the expense of domestic cricket. Zero incentive or pressure to upskill.

The state of the country and its institutions will ultimately reflect on the team.
 
Before Pakistani players like West Indians used to go to county cricket to hone their skills. They held the edge in that era. Since the 2000s, In the meantime, India has stepped up with the IPL, India A, u19 tours to other countries.. along with numerous other domestic tournaments. More opportunities and facilities for the local players. More match exposure and conditions and media exposure has built a factory of new players. The more repetitions you get, the more you're likely to improve. It's an entire system that's been built. that's taken 15-20 years to build. A systemic approach to building a blueprint.
 
Mohammad Aizaz said:
For decades, Pakistan cricket has been defined by unpredictability, capable of brilliance one day and collapse the next. But after the recent thrashing at the hands of India in the Asia Cup 2025, many fans feel the “unpredictable” tag has shifted from being exciting to being frustrating. Repeated failures against top-ranked teams, poor planning, questionable selections, and a lack of long-term vision have left supporters disillusioned. While there is undeniable talent in the system, the absence of structure, consistency, and a modern cricketing mindset makes it difficult to compete with the best. Faith in Pakistan cricket hasn’t disappeared entirely; it’s built on too rich a legacy for that, but patience is wearing thin. Supporters want results, responsibility, and a clear plan for the future.

So the question is, have you lost faith or you are still hopeful for a turn around?
Click to expand...

I don't think Pakistan has been unpredictable T20 team in recent years. Performance against good teams has been predictable.

In the last 2 years, Pakistan has won 4 games out of 25 against Ind, SA, Eng, Aus & NZ. So winning a game every 6 games.

1758502821864.png
 
We won games even when there was a batting skill gap between us and the other top sides.... because of our bowling

Pacers only delivering in patches. Too much reliance on SSA. Need to find a better pacer to partner him.

Game smartness is definitely an aspect that needs improvement.
 
I am hopeful

Easy to feel jaded after a terrible performance today

We should wait until the end of the tournament

The truth is that we have a lots of overhyped players, particularly bowlers in the team now. They are basically tape-ball cricketers.

They made the Indian openers look even better than they are. There must have been 8 to 9 half tracker deliveries by the Pakistani bowlers in the powerplay. Indians took advantage of each and every one of those half-trackers.

Pak batting through out he history has been disappointing in the big tournaments. We are just not picking up the right bowlers anymore. Afridi, Rauf, etc. are all one dimensional bowlers (tape-ball type). They don't know how to use conditions. Afridi shouldn't even be called a genuine fast bowler anymore. His highest speed today was like 85MPH.

Yes, our batting issues continue and Salman Agha should not be even making the cut but the tournament is not over yet.

What happened today was bound to happen one day. Bowlers are being made to do batsman job and Batsmen are being made to do the bowlers' job. It just happened on the wrong day.

The positive sign today was that Pakistanis were sledging the Indian players today. One day this aggression will materialize.

Even if we don't make the final of Asia Cup, PCB should continue with the same management. The current lot are making mistakes but will learn from it. The biggest issue for them right now should be Salman Agha and Afridi spots.

PS: the sledging today was started by Pandya when he abused Farhan. Pak just verbally returned it to India with interest.
 
I never had any faith in Pakistan cricket so I am certainly not disappointed. The PCB chairman is a narcotics minister so who’s surprised in the sedated and drugged manner this team plays cricket.
 
prash88 said:
TBH Pakistan should get rid of foreign coaches and trust local coaches who come through the system...
Click to expand...

Local coaches are not up to par. The local coaches themselves are responsible for the continuous poor quality of players coming through the system non stop for the last 10-20 years.

I would actually say we need foreign coaches in our domestic cricket, U19 team, A team and academies and give them 10-20 years to up skill local coaches, players
 
No. Our domestic structure is abysmal but we will still keep producing world class talent.

We are not in a position politically to expect a radical improvement in overall domestic structure. Most institutions in Pakistan need complete revamp which will take a few decades.

Meanwhile, we need a person with authority in Pakistan cricket who can make the best out of given system. Imran Khan singlehandedly turned Pakistan into world beaters. He nurtured players that served Pakistan well after his retirement. Someone else needs to step up now.

I still believe that even among the current pool of top 50 players in domestics, Pakistan can make up a team that can be competitive against top teams in LOIs atleast.
 
For T20 improvement Pakistan need to improve PSL standard. I don't know how but raise the bar of international signings. Scout local talent better and make contracts more lucrative

Obviously domestic stricture needs massive improvement as well
 
The problem lies with giving preference to substandard foreign leagues over domestic cricket.All contracted players should be compulsarily made to play domestic cricket and no NOC should be given to any player during the window of domestic season (I guess sept.to December)
2)All domestic matches should be televised and should be played for 5 days match instead of current 4 days
3)All coaches of domestic should be ex pakistani players who have played a minimum of 30 test matches and there should be proper batting and bowling coach with each domestic team.
4)A super 4 style of structure should be started and best of 3 finals between finalists.
5)Match fee should be brought to international level from super 4 stage to incentivise the players and ensure motivation to reach top 4 level is there and hence competition will automatically increase
6)pcb should ensure that while drafting players in teams each team gets quality batters,bowlers and wicketkeepers No team should have undue advantage.No two players of same trade playing in international cricket should represent same domestic team e.g,Afridi and haris should not be in same team( both fast bowlers),similarly fakhar and saim should not be in same team(both openers).
7)Proper international stadiums should be used for domestic matches rather than using gymkhana/club grounds.and effort should be made to make pitches such that balance is maintained between bat and ball.pitches should crack and offer turn after 3 days of cricket
8)free entry for school and college boys.net bowlers from local areas should be encouraged.
 
T20Is by nature makes teams more equal, as just one over can flip a match no matter how good a team is.

But even in that, Pakistan's overall record of 3-13 vs India is shockingly bad. And remember, all of these are in big ticket multinational tournaments. And this record dates back to last 18 years.

I am glad that they are no longer playing test cricket. Else I can only shudder at how one sided those be.
 
The ultimate factor is the economy.

Cricket has become a professional sport hence first world countries which used to be bad like NZ/Eng have become real good.

India with its massive population and booming economy have also massively become better.

Bangladesh too for similar reasons (to a lower extent though).

Pakistan has stagnated.
 
Pakistanis are exaggerating things they are decent t20 team its just india is far better than other teams in this format, haven’t you seen how they destroyed australia, england , africa multiple times in recent years. Pakistan shouldn’t worry much about t20 for them i think primary concern should be odi and test
 
As pointed out by Savak, the key difference is that the competition structure in India right now is very good. Cricket has widespread in India to all corners and as a result there are many state level leagues which are of very decent quality and from which the IPL scouts are able to unearth some very good talent which gets groomed further in the IPL while playing among the best players in the world.

You would be surprised to know many state teams now in India have foreign coaches. When quality coaching is made available at the grassroots level level it will obviously pay off.

Wrt Pakistan we keep hearing about performing surgery to the national team when the focus should be on grassroots level. International cricket is not the place to learn the basics of the game.

I have no doubt maybe the Pakistani players work even harder than Indian players but maybe it’s too late to compete with athletes who were groomed from a young age. If Indian football players put in twice the work they still cannot compete with European and Latin American footballers who were groomed from a young age to play football. Same might be happening in cricket and you all might be looking for answers in the wrong age group.
 
The whole country needs a revamp. This is the result of dirt and corruption of the one man ‘establishment’ of 78 years. The country needs a strong govt with a public mandate to fix whatever is wrong.

Unless the basics don’t get fixed - expect Kenya level performances in the next 5-10 years. We are at Bangladesh level right now.
 
heddie19 said:
They have. Not once but twice.
Click to expand...
Yes but not current Indian team. This india team is at another level.

Only SENA nations can beat current Indian T20 team here and there. They will also not beat us in a series but one off the game.

Indian team is by far best in the World cricket ( T20)

:kp
 
Mohammad Aizaz said:
For decades, Pakistan cricket has been defined by unpredictability, capable of brilliance one day and collapse the next. But after the recent thrashing at the hands of India in the Asia Cup 2025, many fans feel the “unpredictable” tag has shifted from being exciting to being frustrating. Repeated failures against top-ranked teams, poor planning, questionable selections, and a lack of long-term vision have left supporters disillusioned. While there is undeniable talent in the system, the absence of structure, consistency, and a modern cricketing mindset makes it difficult to compete with the best. Faith in Pakistan cricket hasn’t disappeared entirely; it’s built on too rich a legacy for that, but patience is wearing thin. Supporters want results, responsibility, and a clear plan for the future.

So the question is, have you lost faith or you are still hopeful for a turn around?
Click to expand...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1969832633296150744

They are Very predictable.

:kp
 
-Largest country by population in the world
-Fanatical love for cricket
-One of the most valuable sporting brands in the world plus a lot more investment in the game overall
-Low per capita GDP and income inequality

Add all the factors above and you have a perfect recipe for an assembly line of world class talent. In India, cricket is not just a game its a way of life, a way to radically transform lives. There are countless stories of how cricketers playing in IPL have had their lives utterly transformed by the game and that inspires the millions of youngsters playing cricket in gullies and mohallas around the country. And scouting and finding talent is not the end of it. Professional cricket is no more just a game where raw talent alone will win you matches. The rise of IPL has ensured that investment has trickled down to all levels of the cricketing infrastructure resulting in better scouting and development of talent. The real success is not as much in identifying the talent as in grooming that talent and hardening it both physically and mentally for the rigors of league and international cricket.

Conversely, in Pakistan, while still a popular pastime, the game does not enjoy as much popularity amongst the youth as it used to in the last few decades. Infrastructure which was already shambolic has declined further, the domestic game has been modeled and remodeled so many times in line with the whims of those in power that standards have plummeted and gulf between domestics and internationals has widened irredeemably. Not to say that the country does not and will not produce talent. Producing 11 world class players from a population of 250 million is not the issue. The issue is how that talent is groomed and what opportunities they are given to develop not just their cricketing skills but also their minds.

For all you know Pakistan could reach the finals next week and trounce India. But play 10 games and it is highly likely that India will beat Pakistan 8 or 9 times because you cannot consistently compete with a cricketing culture grounded in professionalism and buoyed by massive investment with one that almost borders on the amateur. All this is not to say that there are no problems in the Indian infrastructure, no corruption or nepotism. Far from it. But when you have a system producing hundreds of options each equally good (solid arguments could be made about how Jaiswal and Rinku should play, or how a host of other players should be in the squad) the effect of those negative factors is diluted. And that system is the root of India's success.
 
My faith is lost at the fact that these guys get paid the best-of-the-best salaries by Pakistan standards. And in the end have little-to-no accountability and go on about their lives enjoying in malls, airports.

They know they are on the PCB payroll, and the institute is there to scratch their backs. Why wouldn't you treat cricket a corrupt grooming institute? Right from the chairman at the top to the maalshia in the dressing room, 90% of the employees are there because of sifarish. Keep the line manager happy and you're good for the 5-25 lac coming your way at the end of the month. Quaid-e-azam matters more.
 
You don’t lose love of a team because of a few bad results. You support them no matter what. Yes there is frustration at the team being left behind all the other major teams. And yes so much needs to be done to improve Pak cricket that it really requires a systemic overhaul and that takes time and has been commented on previously. One thing for sure. You need a strong PSL and you need a squad of about 30 players and another 30 that are specialists in a format and specialists in their various areas. Pak will never compete if they have the same 15 turning up everywhere.
 
Greenstorm said:
No. Our domestic structure is abysmal but we will still keep producing world class talent.

We are not in a position politically to expect a radical improvement in overall domestic structure. Most institutions in Pakistan need complete revamp which will take a few decades.

Meanwhile, we need a person with authority in Pakistan cricket who can make the best out of given system. Imran Khan singlehandedly turned Pakistan into world beaters. He nurtured players that served Pakistan well after his retirement. Someone else needs to step up now.

I still believe that even among the current pool of top 50 players in domestics, Pakistan can make up a team that can be competitive against top teams in LOIs atleast.
Click to expand...


That is precisely why I lost faith about 10 years ago. The rest of the world moved on, Pakistani is still trying to compete with a rotten infrastructure which is not fit for purpose in the 21st century.

I don't think it's that difficult to fix, I just don't think the PCB know where to start.
 
First we need to get these political clowns out of our cricket system players use connections with high profile politicians to get themselves reselected while the more deserving players just waste away in domestic setup
 
zahid01 said:
First we need to get these political clowns out of our cricket system players use connections with high profile politians to get themselves reselected while the more deserving players just waste away in domestic setup
Click to expand...
Remove the rubbish about Prime Minister being the Patron in Chief of PCB, and everything else will fall into place.

Nothing will happen, an irrelevant politician just got appointed the Head of the Bodybuilding Federation. The individual can barely walk, so you can understand the level of corruption in every department in our country.
 
Mohammad Aizaz said:
For decades, Pakistan cricket has been defined by unpredictability, capable of brilliance one day and collapse the next. But after the recent thrashing at the hands of India in the Asia Cup 2025, many fans feel the “unpredictable” tag has shifted from being exciting to being frustrating. Repeated failures against top-ranked teams, poor planning, questionable selections, and a lack of long-term vision have left supporters disillusioned. While there is undeniable talent in the system, the absence of structure, consistency, and a modern cricketing mindset makes it difficult to compete with the best. Faith in Pakistan cricket hasn’t disappeared entirely; it’s built on too rich a legacy for that, but patience is wearing thin. Supporters want results, responsibility, and a clear plan for the future.

So the question is, have you lost faith or you are still hopeful for a turn around?
Click to expand...
I didn't lose faith but I stop expecting big after the USA lose.
 
Regular cricket with India would have made cricket extinct in Pakistan just like hockey did.

One can only take so much chittar...
 
Yeh man. I have been really sad since last night. Even though i knew the result and have been used to it.

But it just still hurts. Even if we post 300 we would still lose to India.

I am just done with Pakistan cricket. Will only watch if we somehow make it to the finals.

I prefer watching Afghanistan cricket now
 
Major said:
Yeh man. I have been really sad since last night. Even though i knew the result and have been used to it.

But it just still hurts. Even if we post 300 we would still lose to India.

I am just done with Pakistan cricket. Will only watch if we somehow make it to the finals.

I prefer watching Afghanistan cricket now
Click to expand...

I think Pakistani fans/selectors get too impatient with the team selections. For example, they dropped H Nawaz. That was a big blunder. Need to stick to players and give them a lengthy run.

Frequent chopping and changing is not good.
 
Not hopeless, i have accepted the fact that we are basically number 6-8 team in all formats. May be number 5 if some of the teams are out of form. On a good day we may surprise a good team, but that will be an upset. So i am content, will rejoice any victory that will come and will not be upset on losses.
 
JibranAnsari said:
Not hopeless, i have accepted the fact that we are basically number 6-8 team in all formats. May be number 5 if some of the teams are out of form. On a good day we may surprise a good team, but that will be an upset. So i am content, will rejoice any victory that will come and will not be upset on losses.
Click to expand...
Very honest take. That is the best starting point to move forward.
 
Usman Chadda said:
Remove the rubbish about Prime Minister being the Patron in Chief of PCB, and everything else will fall into place.

Nothing will happen, an irrelevant politician just got appointed the Head of the Bodybuilding Federation. The individual can barely walk, so you can understand the level of corruption in every department in our country.
Click to expand...
Why would Mistry remove his boot lickers?
 
Devadwal said:
Yes but not current Indian team. This india team is at another level.

Only SENA nations can beat current Indian T20 team here and there. They will also not beat us in a series but one off the game.

Indian team is by far best in the World cricket ( T20)

:kp
Click to expand...
I think india smashed both england and south africa badly as well if i am not wrong england literally had no answers vs indian batting archer and wood were taken to cleaners by sharma
 
Munir must release Imran Khan from jail and make him PCB president. IK seems like one of the few principled figures who can fix the situation.

Then again, I suspect Imran has lost all interest in earthly affairs and is probably readying himself for his heavenly abode.
 
@Mohammad Aizaz don’t put your faith in anything but Him. We have faith that anything can happen but tbh for most of us it’s a matter of indulgence in the la-yani anyways. It’s different for you because now this is also your profession.

Thenks.
 
Varun said:
Agreed. Javed Miandad and Waqar Yoinis should be brought back in.
Click to expand...
they should Just go with low profile hard working coach who has understanding of the game and knows domestic structure.

Hesson for example is not needed he seems just like an OK coach who’s being provided lots of money for no reason. PCB spent millions on mentors last year which was again trashing the money kind of move.

They (PCB) never realise the importance of improving the system. PCB still has ample money if used in right way can reform Pakistan cricket but no they are more interested in showing off rather than taking actual steps that would improve the game.

PCB are masters of wasting money.
 
I haven't lost faith in our abilities. Our Pakistan team, which is currently ranked no.7 and consists of a mix of seasoned players and new faces, managed to take the game right down to the wire against the World no.1 team. This is a commendable achievement and clearly shows our potential.

This performance is a testament to our grit and determination. It highlights that with a few more good players, we can easily reach new heights and compete with the best.
 
gazza619 said:
I haven't lost faith in our abilities. Our Pakistan team, which is currently ranked no.7 and consists of a mix of seasoned players and new faces, managed to take the game right down to the wire against the World no.1 team. This is a commendable achievement and clearly shows our potential.

This performance is a testament to our grit and determination. It highlights that with a few more good players, we can easily reach new heights and compete with the best.
Click to expand...
In T20 finishing an over before is not down to the wire.
 
mehh.. I still think there is enough talent to work with. No matter what people say, naturally people in Pak will always be interested in cricket. It will take some serious work and dedication, but there is always hope as long as there is believe!
 
pakistani pride said:
mehh.. I still think there is enough talent to work with. No matter what people say, naturally people in Pak will always be interested in cricket. It will take some serious work and dedication, but there is always hope as long as there is believe!
Click to expand...

I feel like there is too much chopping and changing in Pakistani cricket now.

It wasn't like this 15-20 years ago (even 10 years ago).

Need to stick to a set of players for at least a year or two.
 
The final nail in the coffin for Pakistan cricket for me was the loss against India in the US. The team is on the verge of turning into a minnow.

Pakistan's last chance of winning the ODI WC was in 2011 but we ended up witnessing the Misbah Mohali Horror show. @Major @daytrader
 
I’ve lost faith, not in the team but the bowlers.

We’re too reliant on Shaheen, surely there’s another 140kph+ leftie in Pakistan that doesn’t have to have his bowling arm bandaged up just to bowl.
 
i lost some faith in 2003, then some in 2007, then all of it in 2011. pakistan were never consistent, but i feel sorry for younger fans whove never even been able to support a team that had style, flair, attitude on the field. there was a time when fans from all over the world knew the pak team, the players, and today pakistanis themselves wouldnt recognise some of these guys if they passed them in the street.

if the right systems are put in place it only takes about 4 or 5 years to turn evertything around, look at england losing to bangladesh in the 2015 world cup, culminating decades of white ball mediocrity and by 2019 it was a totally different playing style, attitude, etc. but you need a vision and you need consistency. if british pakistanis can have two world cup winners in moeen and rash, if a tiny population of aussie pakistanis can produce a 6000 run test opener, and the zimbabwean and south african system nurtured sikander raza and imran tahir respectively to be arguably better than any current pak t20 players its obvious its not an athletic or talent issue, its a systems issue.

rash for nawaz, moeen for talat, imran tahir for nawaz, khawaja for saim, and raza for salman ali agha, those are five cricketers who could arguably walk into this pak team tomorrow, thats before we go into potential talents who are emerging on the scenes for other nations.
 
Use English county cricket, big bash and the hundred to prepare our next super stars as pak domestic won't polish them in fact they'll become mediocre.

Send Ubaid Shah, Ali Raza, faisal akram. Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz, muhammad haris etc to Polish their skills and be ready to bash india
 
AZulfi said:
We won games even when there was a batting skill gap between us and the other top sides.... because of our bowling

Pacers only delivering in patches. Too much reliance on SSA. Need to find a better pacer to partner him.

Game smartness is definitely an aspect that needs improvement.
Click to expand...
Forget partner, we need to replace him. His bowling has been ridiculously poor recently. We can’t even blame the injury anymore. Pace is back to 140ish and he’s still struggling.

Even if he’s a one trick pony, he can’t even nail that delivery any more.

Our bowlers really need to work on their skills. They can’t even nail a Yorker anymore.
 
YousafTheBeast said:
I’ve lost faith, not in the team but the bowlers.

We’re too reliant on Shaheen, surely there’s another 140kph+ leftie in Pakistan that doesn’t have to have his bowling arm bandaged up just to bowl.
Click to expand...
Very true - What happened to Akif Javed?

Seriously in t20s, I never thought I’d say this in 2025, but Amir still seems to be the best left armer in the country.
 
We are the only team who think we can be better by axing our only two truly world class players.

It doesn't work like that yaar
 
ataullah said:
Use English county cricket, big bash and the hundred to prepare our next super stars as pak domestic won't polish them in fact they'll become mediocre.

Send Ubaid Shah, Ali Raza, faisal akram. Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz, muhammad haris etc to Polish their skills and be ready to bash india
Click to expand...
Pak players don't get selected in 100 and soon will be out of Big Bash.

Counties don't want tullars.

Pak fans should make peace with the fact that they will never be on India's level ever again.
 
I have always had faith in the unpredictability of Pakistan cricket. When all’s seemingly gone south suddenly everything lines up perfectly- the luck, the stars, the performance and everything comes together unexpectedly. Which eventually carries the hopes of PCT fans for the next 10 years.
 
T20 cricket is the only area keeping Pakistan cricket alive. Historically, Pakistan reached more T20 WC semis than India. Same no T20 WC finals as India. One less T20 WC win than India.

In ODI and Test cricket, the decline has been long and slow.

In ODIs, Pakistan won the 2017 Champions Trophy. But it was a false dawn, just like the 2004 Champions Trophy win of West Indies, when their ODI standards were constantly going down.

In no ODI WC since 1999, Pakistan entered the tournament as one of the top 3 favorites.

In Test cricket, they are in no position to dominate at home or away.

It's relatively easier for any cricketing system to develop players for T20 cricket. The focus of any revival should be on T20 cricket.
 
Have listened to cricbuzz analyses in the past. Their ‘experts’ generally have poor knowledge of pak players and pak cricket. Which is expected since they don’t follow pak cricket much outside of pak-india. A lot of mixing up of names too. Overall it’s a lot of bias, obsolete theories, lame jokes. Too much for any serious follower of pak cricket. Thanks for sharing.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
prash88 said:
T20 cricket is the only area keeping Pakistan cricket alive. Historically, Pakistan reached more T20 WC semis than India. Same no T20 WC finals as India. One less T20 WC win than India.

In ODI and Test cricket, the decline has been long and slow.

In ODIs, Pakistan won the 2017 Champions Trophy. But it was a false dawn, just like the 2004 Champions Trophy win of West Indies, when their ODI standards were constantly going down.

In no ODI WC since 1999, Pakistan entered the tournament as one of the top 3 favorites.

In Test cricket, they are in no position to dominate at home or away.

It's relatively easier for any cricketing system to develop players for T20 cricket. The focus of any revival should be on T20 cricket.
Click to expand...
If I remember, Ihsanullah was the top wicket-taker in PSL 2023. He was unplayable in PSL 2023 by almost all batters. He hasn't played a PSL game since. Will this kind of thing happen in any league like IPL, BBL, 100 or Blast?
 
Buffet said:
I don't think Pakistan has been unpredictable T20 team in recent years. Performance against good teams has been predictable.

In the last 2 years, Pakistan has won 4 games out of 25 against Ind, SA, Eng, Aus & NZ. So winning a game every 6 games.

View attachment 158076
Click to expand...
If you dig deeper it is even worse. All those wins have come against NZ who mostly field their second or third teams

1758598037375.png
 
I haven't lost faith, not because I think there is a turnaround imminent but because when it comes to Pakistan cricket i am a hopeless optimist or perhaps a hopeless masochist. Perhaps that is because I grew up watching the game during what arguably were the best years of Pakistan cricket. On paper some of those achievements might not be as impressive as those of other countries and each of them were sandwiched between appalling performances and behavior on and off the field but every time there was a belief that the team would either continue its dominance (and it was at times like those when they would spring the nastiest of surprises like losing to Zimbabwe or the Karachi test collapse against SA or the 96 WC qf against India) or rise from the ashes even after the worst of failures. Maybe it was the eternal optimism of youth but it also certainly had to do with the endless pool of talent we had.

The result always matters, but you would forget that for a while if you could watch Saeed Anwar bashing the opposition bowling at a time when powerplay hitting wasn't a recognized tactic. Or when you would wait for the death overs to watch Waqar rip through hapless batting lineups with his reverse swing (actually there were as many instances when he got thrashed) and later, Saqlain weave his magic. Be it Shoaib's unmatched pace, Afridi's kamikaze antics, Razzaq's brutal power hitting, or Wasim's magic, they were all things that one would watch for their own sake. More than anything else, it was these individual feats of brilliance that drew us to the game and inspired thousands of kids to play the game and what is missing in the team today and what makes it difficult to sustain any hope of revival. Which kid (especially those raised on an exclusive diet of high octane T-20) would like to watch Agha's plodding? Who would be inspired by Faheem or Nawaz's pedestrian bowling? No wonder our stadiums are empty. No wonder we have lost faith and can't see a future.

Watching Pakistan cricket today sadly reminds me of what happened with our hockey team. How the game changed so radically and quickly that we couldn't adapt. Like cricket, the issue wasn't as much talent or skill as systemic malaise and inertia and subsequently waning interest stemming from continued failure.

Yet, I would still not lose faith, knowing that talent knows no boundaries, and sporting teams like every other thing in life rise and fall and go through cycles of success and failure, if I couldn't see how the rest of the world is investing in systems and processes and how the game is becoming more professional and unforgiving with each passing year. How scouting, player development, team selection, and strategy have all become specialized fields. And then I am forced to think talent alone will not get us through this time and neither will blind optimism. I hope i am wrong.
 
You have to understand one thing - Pakistan being a good team was an anomaly, not the norm.

When a sport has not fully professionalized, with modern systems/infrastructure - talent can take you far.

Not possible once systems are developed. The ones with the bigger wallets will always be better.

In football Uruguay was better than Argentina/Brazil in the 30s. Hungary was better than France, England, Spain, Italy in the 50s.

Pakistan's upper limit is the 2nd tier alongside SA/NZ, below the big 3 and that is IF their economy improves and systems become better an even that will be seen in a decade or two, not overnight.
 
Its all about mindset. India is proving to be a heaven for merit. They have taken some decisions in very right direction. They came out of this gora complex and appointed their own good coaches through proper channel which takes all decisions based on merit. Gambhir is proving to be a very good coach as he is using players as per the conditions.
 
It's been downhill since 2011

Last time we played good odi cricket was 2011 CWC after that it has been continuous decline with only 2017 CT which was just false glimmer of hope

Tests after moving back to Pakistan from UAE has been downhill

T20 we were good team till 2022 after that has been steep decline

Lots of improvement in domestic and psl is needed and some patience
 
shah9425 said:
It's been downhill since 2011

Last time we played good odi cricket was 2011 CWC after that it has been continuous decline with only 2017 CT which was just false glimmer of hope

Tests after moving back to Pakistan from UAE has been downhill

T20 we were good team till 2022 after that has been steep decline

Lots of improvement in domestic and psl is needed and some patience
Click to expand...

I think downhill started in 2023.

Even in 2019 WC, Pakistan finished 5th which wasn't bad. They beat England, SA, and NZ.
 
sweep_shot said:
I think downhill started in 2023.

Even in 2019 WC, Pakistan finished 5th which wasn't bad. They beat England, SA, and NZ.
Click to expand...
It was mid performance

Our WC was basically over in first two matches that wi defeat from which we never recovered and SL washout was end of us

Last time our team looked great in WC was 2011 after that nothing much to talk about
 
Pakistan (Odi Cricket)

1995-1999: 79 wins| 65 losses
2000-2004: 93 wins| 65 losses
2005-2009: 58 wins|46 losses
2010-2014: 58 wins|56 losses
2015-2019: 46 wins|50 losses

2020-2025: 35 wins|27 losses

Test Cricket

1995-1999: 17 wins| 15 losses| 12 draws
2000-2004: 20 wins|17 losses| 8 draws
2005-2009: 10 wins|14 losses| 14 draws
2010-2014: 17 wins|17 losses| 9 draws
2015-2019: 16 wins|20 losses| 4 draws

2020-2025: 14 wins| 18 losses| 6 draws

T20 cricket

2006-2009: 21 wins| 6 losses
2010-2014: 30 wins|28 losses
2015-2019: 40 wins| 23 losses
2020-22: 41 wins| 21 losses

2023-25: 26 wins| 33 losses

Like you can see, it has not been a good ride in the 2 major formats for almost 30 years. Have not been a top team by any means

T20 was going alright. Now that it has become a major format, things have started to unravel there too.

Scrapping the barrel these days but it was coming. It will get worse.
 
DTrump said:
Pakistan (Odi Cricket)

1995-1999: 79 wins| 65 losses
2000-2004: 93 wins| 65 losses
2005-2009: 58 wins|46 losses
2010-2014: 58 wins|56 losses
2015-2019: 46 wins|50 losses

2020-2025: 35 wins|27 losses

Test Cricket

1995-1999: 17 wins| 15 losses| 12 draws
2000-2004: 20 wins|17 losses| 8 draws
2005-2009: 10 wins|14 losses| 14 draws
2010-2014: 17 wins|17 losses| 9 draws
2015-2019: 16 wins|20 losses| 4 draws

2020-2025: 14 wins| 18 losses| 6 draws

T20 cricket

2006-2009: 21 wins| 6 losses
2010-2014: 30 wins|28 losses
2015-2019: 40 wins| 23 losses
2020-22: 41 wins| 21 losses

2023-25: 26 wins| 33 losses

Like you can see, it has not been a good ride in the 2 major formats for almost 30 years. Have not been a top team by any means

T20 was going alright. Now that it has become a major format, things have started to unravel there too.

Scrapping the barrel these days but it was coming. It will get worse.
Click to expand...
Appreciate the analysis. It seems like we have overrated our past teams.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Cricket Warrior
Have Pakistan Become T20I Minnows?
2
Replies
86
Views
1K
BouncerGuy
BouncerGuy
BouncerGuy
"India lost 3-0 to New Zealand at home and then defeated Australia in Perth. Yet, no one calls India an unpredictable side": Misbah-ul-Haq
Replies
9
Views
345
cricketjoshila
cricketjoshila
Pak_Jazba
Loss of passion for cricket in future generations?
Replies
10
Views
592
Rana
Rana
BouncerGuy
  • Poll Poll
How should Pakistan repay India for Handshakegate in their next game?
2
Replies
86
Views
2K
Braveheart
B
Asad T
Has cricket lost its grip on Gen-Z in Pakistan?
Replies
45
Views
1K
Asad T
Asad T
Back
Top