How to save Pakistan Cricket from it's death?

[Muhammad Saad]

What do you think is the best way to save our cricket from it's eventual death,

 

[Sher Khan]

Mate, Pakistan cricket had died a long time ago. We are just seeing the ashes blow away now.

 

[UP]

I have said this previously that Pakistan cricket needs stability as much as the country does. Politics has to go out asap. Hire professional people that can run a business. Cricket is a business. Hire competent people and let them do the work. Constant change in governments and chaos has brought Pak cricket to its knees. Pakistan as a country is a mess and destruction and its cricket is a face of it.

Stability and competence is needed to build quality grass-root infrastructure. Need somebody with a long term vision. I predict we will be at Zimbabwe level in 10 years because of political interference. Pakistan as a country is finished unless a dramatic turn of things happen and strong governments are voted in with popular mandate and do difficult reforms.

 

[moghul]

No chance

 

[adi_62941]

where is that big mount and small character hafeez. He was trying to become a super coach. The person like him summarizes the type of people we have in our country.

 

[ahmadharis1]

Step 1: Remove the governments influence on the PCB.

It's absolutely ridiculous that a new Pakistan government will be voted in an immediately bring changes to it's sports. It's laughable that a government has any say at all in how cricket is run, no other normal country has it like that. As an American, it's so stupid thinking that if Joe Biden or Candidate X was elected president this year, I have to worry about who's gonna be the coach of my basketball team. There's no long term vision with the PCB, they have to invest in short term solutions that inevitably fail because you can't rush a proper cricketing team.

Step 2: Hire some qualified outsider as PCB chairman and give him a long rope of 5+ years minimum.

It's stupidity hiring former players as coaches and selectors, it's a recipe for corruption and nepotism. PCB needs to be led by some outsider hire who is qualified to run a cricket board, not some mediocre-at-best international flops. I'm so ready to give some domestic director from New Zealand or Australia their big break and put them in charge of the PCB. Furthermore they need to be given a good amount of time to let their plan into play to hopefully see results in the long term

 

[sweep_shot]

1) Don't chop and change too much. Allow the new players to settle in.

2) Manage players better. Rotate players better (pacers particularly).

 

[Mamoon]

As I have been saying for years, Pakistan is the least talented cricket nation ever and the problem is the expectations of the fans and not the performance of the players.

Pakistani fans are delusional and entitled beyond belief. They are not willing to accept that Pakistan haven’t got what it takes and never will.

They will keep blaming individuals and XYZ instead of acknowledging the bitter reality.

The “we are competitive in T20Is” drama was also going to end in tears. We are not competitive in any format and it will only get worse from here because the other top sides are far superior in all facets and the gap will only increase.

Moreover, even Afghanistan will overtake Pakistan in all formats within the next 3 years.

There are so many sports teams in the world that are mediocre and will never win the competition that they are competing in but that doesn’t stop their fans from passionately supporting them.

Pakistani fans need to do the same. Support and cheer the team and just enjoy that we play cricket because if you expect a hen to fly like a falcon, it is your problem not the hen’s.

You can select any playing XI. You select any coach. You can select any captain. The end result will be the same. Nothing will change at all because we are simply not good enough and never will be.

This is why I always say that we deserve this humiliation because we are intellectually bankrupt, have no clue and shy away from reality.

 

[IAJ]

Firstly, Pakistan need honest and professional coaches and administrators at every level, starting from children's cricket to the top level.

Secondly, Provide proper facilities, this also starting from grassroot level.

Thirdly, have hadworking and professional cricketers who are down to earth even when they get super-famous and don't lose the focus.

A proper cricketing education system should be in place for the cricketers. We need batsmen how understand batting and bowlers who understand bowling. Today batsmen keep making same mistakes and bowlers do the same. How can you for instance let a guy hit you 16 sixes (ref. Finn Allen). I didn't watch the match but surely any smart bowler could find a weakness in the batsman and set a trap for him?

And more focus on the fitness. Not many of them look like professional athletes. They are getting alot of money so they have to be fit.

Pakistan also need honest selectors who select players on merit and should combat any form of corruption.

In the end the attitude of every individual will have a major say. You have to work hard, you will feel in the body it's tough to be a professional cricketer and put your country first. Nothing comes for free.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

As I have been saying for years, Pakistan is the least talented cricket nation ever and the problem is the expectations of the fans and not the performance of the players.

Pakistani fans are delusional and entitled beyond belief. They are not willing to accept that Pakistan haven’t got what it takes and never will.

They will keep blaming individuals and XYZ instead of acknowledging the bitter reality.

The “we are competitive in T20Is” drama was also going to end in tears. We are not competitive in any format and it will only get worse from here because the other top sides are far superior in all facets and the gap will only increase.

Moreover, even Afghanistan will overtake Pakistan in all formats within the next 3 years.

There are so many sports teams in the world that are mediocre and will never win the competition that they are competing in but that doesn’t stop their fans from passionately supporting them.

Pakistani fans need to do the same. Support and cheer the team and just enjoy that we play cricket because if you expect a hen to fly like a falcon, it is your problem not the hen’s.

You can select any playing XI. You select any coach. You can select any captain. The end result will be the same. Nothing will change at all because we are simply not good enough and never will be.

This is why I always say that we deserve this humiliation because we are intellectually bankrupt, have no clue and shy away from reality.

Agreed that we were never top cricketing nation apart from 1996 to 1999 but we were never that worse either which we are currently , things can back to normal atleast we can go back being number 4 cricketing nation

 

[Muhammad Saad]

We used to have 3/4 world class players in every era and every team but currently we have only 1 , at least restore the normal

 

[Muhammad Saad]

And it’s disheartening to see the quality of u19 players last 6 years are horrible

 

[Mamoon]

Agreed that we were never top cricketing nation apart from 1996 to 1999 but we were never that worse either which we are currently , things can back to normal atleast we can go back being number 4 cricketing nation

Pakistan lost home series after series from 1996 to 1999. Top teams don’t do that.

Even in the Imran Khan era, Pakistan was a distant number two. In short, Pakistan has never been a genuinely top team or at least not for a reasonable period of time.

We simply haven’t got what it takes and never will. Not every team or nation will be successful and it is fine, but there is no shame in supporting and cheering for an unsuccessful team.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

Pakistan lost home series after series from 1996 to 1999. Top teams don’t do that.

Even in the Imran Khan era, Pakistan was a distant number two. In short, Pakistan has never been a genuinely top team or at least not for a reasonable period of time.

We simply haven’t got what it takes and never will. Not every team or nation will be successful and it is fine, but there is no shame in supporting and cheering for an unsuccessful team.

Still we can go back to where were we right? Slighly better mid table team with the potential to give tough fights more often than not to big 3 teams, surely if India from being utter useless to become top playing cricket nation can do that then surely we can also.

India were even less talented nation in cricket compare to Pak if you want instill your point on history. If such least talented nation can do that why can't we?

 

[Muhammad Saad]

It was almost impossible to imagine India having a consistent 140k bowler , it never occurred in their history of cricket but see now they have half a dozen of them , so what they are doing right which aren't? surely the corruption/nepotism is there too but they are still producing worldclass players ,so I think it is more to do with money , younger generation put effort in things which have a reliable return , gone are the days of playing cricket with passion without expecting anything in return , remove the money element from Indian cricket and see them back to square one in just one decade or so.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

For a starter have 12 regional teams consisting of 15 players in each category (U13 , U16 and U19) which means approximately 540 youth players and pay them monthly average salary of about PKR 55,000 so that equals PKR 2.9 crores and then see the result in next 5 years how much younger generation interest gets boost up in cricket.

 

[CricketAnalyst]

Problem is the culture and management at senior team level, not lack of talented players. None of the measures in the poll address these.

No matter how talented someone is, how will he do well if he gets 3 chances in a row and is then dropped. All 3 chances will be coming in with Pakistan having about 5% chance to win, required run rate of 12 or 13 and then he gets out trying to hit.
Yes, I'm using the example of Azam Khan, but suppose you think he is a bad player don't fix on the example. Whether he is good or bad isn't the point; no one in limited overs middle order is getting a fair shot because top order leaves them a very uncomfortable job.

​

Pace bowlers are not given proper work-load management and are over-bowled into oblivion and any bowler who tries to manage workload is accused of being unpatriotic etc and bunch of fake nationalism is suddenly brought in. Pakistan has for some reason abandoned finger-spin completely in white-ball cricket, which is a very strange decision and hurt badly in the World Cup in India, and in West Indies/USA that will be lethal because finger-spinners will have a great tournament.

 

[ufcfan]

Still we can go back to where were we right? Slighly better mid table team with the potential to give tough fights more often than not to big 3 teams, surely if India from being utter useless to become top playing cricket nation can do that then surely we can also.

India were even less talented nation in cricket compare to Pak if you want instill your point on history. If such least talented nation can do that why can't we?

India were never least talented and never will
You talk about 90s,yes India were mid tier but never this mediocre you talk about
India still had Sachin,Dravid, Ganguly,Azhar,Jadeja,Kumble,Srinath
They were still a force at home ,lacked overseas due to no backing up for Srinath
With money pumped into domestics and infra,the breeding ground for cricketers is more fertile
Yes trophy drought is there,matter of time it will also end

 

[Muhammad Saad]

India were never least talented and never will
You talk about 90s,yes India were mid tier but never this mediocre you talk about
India still had Sachin,Dravid, Ganguly,Azhar,Jadeja,Kumble,Srinath
They were still a force at home ,lacked overseas due to no backing up for Srinath
With money pumped into domestics and infra,the breeding ground for cricketers is more fertile
Yes trophy drought is there,matter of time it will also end

See the history bro right from the 70s to late 90s , India were the least talented nation in cricket so suddenly they can’t become talented

It’s all about money and interest

 

[IMMY69]

Won't happen until the likes of Wahab are the minister of some government department...

But we're losing competitiveness and falling into the depths of faeces and here is one clue (other then the Wahab example) of why this is happening...

Saim Ayub.
How many first class games has he played as opposed to T20's?

I think the answer lies in those stats

 

[Theo_14]

These discussions having been taking place for the past decade or so. Truth is, we see these ideas show up but implementation wise we see no prolonged consistency.

Pakistan simply has to look at its neighbouring countries (India, Bangladesh) and see how they improved their infrastructure and foundation. It’s not rocket science and it’s not impossible. The only issue is, we have incompetent, unqualified and corrupted people so unless that changes (unlikely) we will see no improvement.

Unfortunately, soon we will be competing with likes of Zimbabwe and Afghanistan. It’s the bitter truth.

 

[ufcfan]

See the history bro right from the 70s to late 90s , India were the least talented nation in cricket so suddenly they can’t become talented

It’s all about money and interest

Well then definition of talent is surely subjective
India always had the talent mainly in batting
Im talking about 90s
The skill level,the sheer quality of those bats was up there with the best of the world
And noone can suddenly become talented just because of money only,they always had it
Now India products are just more polished

 

[BouncerGuy]

A player has to play more red-ball games to be aware of his short comings and skills that he needs to improve. Should arrange more away tours for junior teams. Domestic infrastructure needs an overhaul as well.

 

[Advaith]

As I have been saying for years, Pakistan is the least talented cricket nation ever and the problem is the expectations of the fans and not the performance of the players.

Pakistani fans are delusional and entitled beyond belief. They are not willing to accept that Pakistan haven’t got what it takes and never will.

They will keep blaming individuals and XYZ instead of acknowledging the bitter reality.

The “we are competitive in T20Is” drama was also going to end in tears. We are not competitive in any format and it will only get worse from here because the other top sides are far superior in all facets and the gap will only increase.

Moreover, even Afghanistan will overtake Pakistan in all formats within the next 3 years.

There are so many sports teams in the world that are mediocre and will never win the competition that they are competing in but that doesn’t stop their fans from passionately supporting them.

Pakistani fans need to do the same. Support and cheer the team and just enjoy that we play cricket because if you expect a hen to fly like a falcon, it is your problem not the hen’s.

You can select any playing XI. You select any coach. You can select any captain. The end result will be the same. Nothing will change at all because we are simply not good enough and never will be.

This is why I always say that we deserve this humiliation because we are intellectually bankrupt, have no clue and shy away from reality.

Hi sir
I am inclined believe that you are rubbing it hard so that teenager fans can see the hard path rather than flying in the sky ..They are intolerant just because their expectations are high ..They don't want to support building part , just want end result on their side .. passionate but it's hurting overall team building process..Even administrators can't handle that much pressure, players are victims..
Having said that we have examples in past , some players with their individual efforts achieved much more as a team .
Kapil, ranatunga , imran Khan they all had one liberty and that's lower expectation from public .. An average team needs that breathing space and they will enjoy every step and try to beat expectations of their fans ...If you make a hero out of average players they will always struggle to meet expectations and performance as a team will be effected ..

 

[shariqnoor]

Save the country first. Cricket is a microcosm of the country.

 

[Kianig89]

Different Analogy but in football for any team to stabilise or improve first step is not to conceded goals , to tighten the defence.

For cricket the concept is choosing the right players with right approach such as for a struggling team like Pakistan Haris Rauf is misfit he might give you wickets but he is expensive, similarly the conundrum of spin needs to be solved Usama Mir not fits the criteria of specialist spinner so why not go with Nawaz and Shadab who offers something with bat and bowl.

With the batting having limited ability to clear ropes , bowling should be strong enough to squeeze the opposition which had beeb our forte runs on the board and then upto bowlers. Go with risk free and less volatile players. Team should be

Fakhar
Saim
Babar
Rizwan
Ifitkhar
Nawaz
Shadab
Abass Afridi
SSA
Zaman
Naseem
----------------
3 solid pacers who will be decent with ball econ. Between 7 to 8.5 on average.
Nawaz and Shadab to Dart in overs and chip in with bat, tail is minimised. RizBar provides the vertebrae of the side with the openers if clicked will give explosive starts, that's the likeliest way forward

 

[Savak]

All of the above. The attitude of players can be best guaged with how well they do with their controllables. The modern T-20 game basic pre-requisite is being supremely fit, athletic and an excellent in and out fielder. Pakistan is so far behind the rest of the teams on this front including India and its not even funny anymore. We end up conceding 60-80 runs in the field just because of our poor fielding alone.

Mickey Arthur and Steve Rixon in 2017 & 2018 had established a proper system where every player was as fit as possible and players were being ruthlessly monitored on their diets. Rixon had established a system where under his watch our catching and out fielding was unparralled. Since his departure our fielding has gone to the dogs with the rise in dropped catches, mis fields and failure to stop singles, secure direct hits. Less said about the nutrition and eating habits of the players the better.

Pakistani players are extremely indiscipline, unprofessional and cannot be trusted to be left to their own devices, they need micro management from a Foreign staff who operates like a head master. Pakistani support staff is usually very lax and incompetent whenever they have been given a chance.

 

[Buffet]

See the history bro right from the 70s to late 90s , India were the least talented nation in cricket so suddenly they can’t become talented

It’s all about money and interest

Indians won away test series in WI, Eng, SL and Drew in NZ, Pak and Aus in this period.
Indians had W/L ratio of 1.7 at home in this period in test.
Home and away in ODI, Indians had 1.3 W/L in ODI with WC and other tournament win in Aus.

I think you are underrating what Indians did in this period. Sure, current Indian team is far better but then this team is best Asian team in history so not fair to compare.

 

[Major]

anyone who suggests that cricket should be held in june instead of october, that person most likely doesnt live in Pakistan

 

[ads101]

It is simple. You increase fitness standards and fielding standards from a young age, and make sure at every level it is adequate. That way you don’t lose out on even the talent that you do have. As well as maximising results on the field even if you have worse skilled players.

Our best player across all formats currently in Rizwan has done just that, despite low natural talent. Imagine if someone like Sharjeel or Umar akmal did the same. They might actually become world beaters. But we will never know and it’s too late for them to start now.

Try maximising the talent you have however little. It is far easier than suddenly being able to churn out more talent.

 

[Kroll]

I have said this previously that Pakistan cricket needs stability as much as the country does. Politics has to go out asap. Hire professional people that can run a business. Cricket is a business. Hire competent people and let them do the work. Constant change in governments and chaos has brought Pak cricket to its knees. Pakistan as a country is a mess and destruction and its cricket is a face of it.

Stability and competence is needed to build quality grass-root infrastructure. Need somebody with a long term vision. I predict we will be at Zimbabwe level in 10 years because of political interference. Pakistan as a country is finished unless a dramatic turn of things happen and strong governments are voted in with popular mandate and do difficult reforms.

Yup, the Janrails have ruined the country and this pathetic cricket team is a by product of that.

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

The first step should be to able to produce a squad that is fit and athletic. Every single memeber is fit and athletic. No more than 14% body fat.

Every person in this squad is a good fielder.

Then we can move on to technique and ability. Lets start from the basics.

 

[ElRaja]

professionalise the sport, its run like an old boys club, former cricketers moving into administration with no qualifications. but it wont happen, Pakistan is going to hell in a handbasket and the cricket reflects that. they might sporadically win games, or even a tournament, but they wont a top team anytime soon.

i think the saddest part, despite the fact that pak have never been consistent is the lack of any exciting players. i haven't seen a ball of the current t20i series, theres no one exciting enough to warrant it, our team is incompetent and boring.

 

[Bewal Express]

We are what we are. Our cricket team reflects our country- no system, just ad hoc short term decisions made by criminals.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

When a cricket board is managed by non cricketing administration that's what happens there.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Cut down Tests to 2 per series.

Give primacy to white ball cricket .

Smaller boards can't afford to focus on all 3 formats.

They don't have the resources.

 

[adil_909]

We've always, always been mismanaged. But in the past, talent has carried us through. We've produced some of the best players in world over the years, and that has always covered up the administrative shortcomings. But now, the lack of talent is apparent There are no Javed Miandads, Imran Khans, Wasim Akrams, Waqar Younis's, Inzamams, etc etc etc etc to save the day. And that, combined with horrible administration and lack of vision, leads to where we are today. No easy solutions, no easy way out. We need to get used to mediocrity for a while. Hopefully PSL produces some talent that can help at least the LOI teams.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Management needs to go. Bring in experienced and non-controversial people back in this system.

 

[Muhammad Saad]

To attract and retain talent you have to pour money , In my early college days there used to be a super talented guy in our area who was excellent in studies and a lightning quick bowler (The fastest I have seen in real life) and was an astonishing batter as well who used to hit sixes at will , too bad he give up cricket and became an Electrical Engineer and now moved to Canada. This is what happens when there is low chance in getting selected and make it big and no initial money in cricket.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Forget personal goals and play for the team and you are saved.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1799329131756478938

 

[TheNeutralist]

Create a system which is unaffected by political regime. Give it a proper run for few years, it should be run by professionals.
Identify a pool and stick with them, try to arrange as many series with national and A teams
Fast track good players in U-19 and first class cricket and give them proper chances (long rope)
Have patience with the team. If we look at the long run and dont worry about short term benefits and issue, you will get a team and bench strength which can be consistent

 

[TheNeutralist]

The coaches need to be better. In the game against USA, in the super over, there was no strategy other than give the ball to bowler and expect him to bowl well. These are the things which needs to be taken care by captain , coach and supporting staff.

 

[AAli98]

Send Wahab Riaz packing

 

[Rana]

Identify the root cause of your slow demise.

I know the answer, you people still do not.

 

[RidiculousMan]

Top leadership. Their vision trickles down.