What now for Pakistan cricket?

[FearlessRoar]

Pakistan cricket is at a crossroads. The recent ICC Champions Trophy 2025 performance, where the team couldn’t secure a single win and faced early elimination, has raised serious questions about the state of the game in the country. The issues go far beyond just losing matches—there is a deeper crisis in talent development, team structure and overall system stability.

Right now, there are no reliable match-winners in the squad, no player we can trust to single-handedly turn the game when the pressure is on. Pakistan has always been known for producing world-class fast bowlers, but the current attack lacks that cutting edge. The same goes for spin bowling, where there isn’t a single bowler who can dictate terms in the middle overs. Looking ahead, there’s no clear superstar in the making, no young talent we can confidently say will become a global cricketing legend.

Beyond individual talent, there are fundamental problems in the team’s skillset and mentality. The players seem to lack confidence, which affects decision-making under pressure. Communication is another issue—whether it’s between players on the field or within the team management, there’s no clarity or authority in leadership. Fitness levels are also not up to modern international standards, and poor fielding continues to cost us crucial runs in every game.

The instability in Pakistan cricket isn’t just about the players. The management and system itself are in a constant state of uncertainty. Frequent changes in coaches, captains, and selectors mean there is no long-term strategy. Without a stable structure, it’s impossible to develop a team that plays with a clear identity and direction.

So, what now for Pakistan cricket?

 

[shah9425]

Bring in some youngster in team for NZ tour

Stick with Rizwan as Captain

Give him some time

Hopefully it will be better

 

[Rana]

Bring in some youngster in team for NZ tour

Stick with Rizwan as Captain

Give him some time

Hopefully it will be better

No. Kick out filth Rizwan from the T20 side. kick out his guru Babar as well. Rizwan has no place in any T20 team in the world even at club level!

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

The buzz word after the T20 world cup disaster was "surgery" which is a word used in medical profession. This time they are using words like "overhaul", "restructuring", "amalgamation" etc. which are more or less used in the business world. Based on this by the time we are unceremoniously dumped out of the T20 world cup next year, we will loan words from engineering realm like "developing a foundation", "stronger base" etc.

So yay progress.

 

[sweep_shot]

Need to drop a lot of players. Need to start from scratch and get ready for 2026 World T20 and 2027 WC.

 

[Rana]

Need to drop a lot of players. Need to start from scratch and get ready for 2026 World T20 and 2027 WC.

List the players that need to be dropped.

 

[saimayubera]

Need to drop a lot of players. Need to start from scratch and get ready for 2026 World T20 and 2027 WC.

And then start from scratch again post those tournaments.

 

[sweep_shot]

List the players that need to be dropped.

Apart from Saim, Fakhar, Agha, Naseem, and Rauf, everyone is droppable.

 

[Farhan The Man]

Nothing's in the bag anymore.

It's perpetual scrapping of the bottom here.

pakistani cricket body is sick to the core. Afflicted with varying cancers, some more grave than others. These repeated failures are just symptoms of impending death.

 

[RyanRyan10]

Start playing the right Brand of cricket with the bat and pick bowlers based on conditions

 

[IAJ]

Mike Hesson has an interesting short take on this:

 

[Rana]

Mike Hesson has an interesting short take on this:

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Its generic and not the entire picture.

What issues of 'self-preservation' did Babar and Rizwan have for them to play Test cricket in ODI and 2000s ODI cricket in T20?

 

[IAJ]

Its generic and not the entire picture.

What issues of 'self-preservation' did Babar and Rizwan have for them to play Test cricket in ODI and 2000s ODI cricket in T20?

I have critisized both when they have been slow, but I don't have time and and desire to follow every step they take, onfield or outside the field.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Appoint a chairman on merit and leave all the devices on him

 

[Rana]

I have critisized both when they have been slow, but I don't have time and and desire to follow every step they take, onfield or outside the field.

Im not arguing with you here, Im questioning Hesson's assessment of 'self preservation' in the Pakistan team being a reason why players are not expressing themselves like the top teams with the bat. That's not true at all! The key proof being Babar and Rizwan literally having iron clad contracts and leadership roles, they know they will not be dropped. So why are they playing rubbish cricket?

Why is it that fringe guys like Fakhar, Saim or Agha (in ODI) are willing to play freely without risk?

 

[Hellion]

Make sure there are no wholesale changes. There has to be continuity if you want to build on gains, however marginal .

Build more bench strength, if possible. Of late , it feels you can take one key player out and PAK becomes little better than a minnow - Naseem in 2023 and Saim Ayub in 2025. It's hard considering the talent pool is limited in Pakistan but it's crucial .

But, most importantly, you need to have a template and stick to it for a decent amount of time.

 

[Rana]

Make sure there are no wholesale changes. There has to be continuity if you want to build on gains, however marginal .

This has been the case for 5 years now. What do you mean by wholesale changes? Lets continue with the core of Babar and Rizwan?

 

[Advaith]

No. Kick out filth Rizwan from the T20 side. kick out his guru Babar as well. Rizwan has no place in any T20 team in the world even at club level!

Or give clear instructions for both babar and rizwan to improve their strike rate drastically without worrying much for average for next 10-15 matches ..Once ultimatum completed then access their performance and take decision accordingly..

 

[IAJ]

Im not arguing with you here, Im questioning Hesson's assessment of 'self preservation' in the Pakistan team being a reason why players are not expressing themselves like the top teams with the bat. That's not true at all! The key proof being Babar and Rizwan literally having iron clad contracts and leadership roles, they know they will not be dropped. So why are they playing rubbish cricket?

Why is it that fringe guys like Fakhar, Saim or Agha (in ODI) are willing to play freely without risk?

Hesson mentions that could be one of several factors, but I believe they think a bit like Misbah, they think team will collapse if they get out early, must be the mindstet.

 

[Rana]

Or give clear instructions for both babar and rizwan to improve their strike rate drastically without worrying much for average for next 10-15 matches ..Once ultimatum completed then access their performance and take decision accordingly..

Are you recently waking up to Pakistan cricket?

These are not kids. They have been told time and time again. They play the PSL and they know what international modern batting standards are. They have been told or warned before.

THEY SIMPLY DO NOT WANT TO CHANGE!

 

[Rana]

Hesson mentions that could be one of several factors, but I believe they think a bit like Misbah, they think team will collapse if they get out early, must be the mindstet.

No they dont think about the team. Team jaye bhaar main. They care about their image and the money they are milking through PCB by remaining relevant.

 

[Advaith]

Are you recently waking up to Pakistan cricket?

These are not kids. They have been told time and time again. They play the PSL and they know what international modern batting standards are. They have been told or warned before.

THEY SIMPLY DO NOT WANT TO CHANGE!

If they have been told before and continue to act as if no other batsman are not capable enough to hold the bat and they themselves need to bat whole innings and eat every available delivery, then kick them out or else younger ones will follow their path..

 

[IAJ]

No they dont think about the team. Team jaye bhaar main. They care about their image and the money they are milking through PCB by remaining relevant.

Well then they are not only one to be blamed. If Selectors/PCB chairman don't have courage to drop players who think they are bigger than the team, then there is not much hope left for Pakistan cricket. Phir laggay raho aisay hi.

 

[Rana]

If they have been told before and continue to act as if no other batsman are not capable enough to hold the bat and they themselves need to bat whole innings and eat every available delivery, then kick them out or else younger ones will follow their path..

Thats what is happening. The younger ones are and will follow their path. What exactly is Abdullah Shafique or Haseebullah Khan?

 

[Rana]

"It is very difficult role (anchor role in shortest format) and sometimes it looks very embarrassing, What my experience says and what I know is that whenever someone hires me, they demand me to play the anchor role like the way I do in Pakistan."

"I always assess the condition, assess the opponent and do these kinds of things (anchoring the innings) and sometimes it is embarrassing because in T20 everyone knows we love sixes and they want me to score 60-70 runs from 35-45 balls, but for me it is important to win the match."
===

@Advaith

Whats this???

 

[Advaith]

Thats what is happening. The younger ones are and will follow their path. What exactly is Abdullah Shafique or Haseebullah Khan?

When I saw their recent champion trophy innings, I was amazed with their approach ..It's as if they are in their fantasy world, far away from reality..I don't think management conveyed it's message strictly enough because I don't think they are not capable enough to play with higher strike rate..

 

[Hellion]

This has been the case for 5 years now. What do you mean by wholesale changes? Lets continue with the core of Babar and Rizwan?

No ODI wicketkeeper batsman better than Rizzu in all Pakistan.

 

[Kianig89]

 

[Advaith]

View attachment 151593

India needs 7.35 times kohlis contribution for their total that's horrible..he average around 58 in odi , let's make it 50 considering he is not out in few of those innings..Then India scores around 370 per innings on average!!!!
In T20 it comes around 250 runs per innings!!!!!
You need to look into it..

 

[Thanos]

Simple.
1. Change the coach and captain
2. Change the PCB chairman
3. Stick to same set of players.
4. Get eliminated from group stage again
5. Go to step 1.

 

[jnaveen1980]

India needs 7.35 times kohlis contribution for their total that's horrible..he average around 58 in odi , let's make it 50 considering he is not out in few of those innings..Then India scores around 370 per innings on average!!!!
In T20 it comes around 250 runs per innings!!!!!
You need to look into it..

Break down of stats will give clearer picture. These generic stats are quiet often used for misleading purposes.

 

[Rana]

India needs 7.35 times kohlis contribution for their total that's horrible..he average around 58 in odi , let's make it 50 considering he is not out in few of those innings..Then India scores around 370 per innings on average!!!!
In T20 it comes around 250 runs per innings!!!!!
You need to look into it..

Dont mind deewani he has a habit of spreading falsehood

 

[Advaith]

Break down of stats will give clearer picture. These generic stats are quiet often used for misleading purposes.

That picture itself is wrong, when it says it requires morethan 7 virat innings on average to fullfill innings score..

 

[Thanos]

Break down of stats will give clearer picture. These generic stats are quiet often used for misleading purposes.

Employee 1 earns 10000/- per month
Employee 2 earns 5000/- per month.
Both get a 20% hike.

Now some people think both had an equal increment.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Rashid Latif, while speaking on a local TV program:

“It took 17 years [for Pakistan to win another World Cup] because the 90s players did not spare Pakistan cricket.”

“Keep 90s players away from management and from the team as well then they will try to win."

"They have been serving Pakistan cricket for so long now. So, I think, they should rest now."

 

[RyanRyan10]

Dont mind deewani he has a habit of spreading falsehood

He has believed in stats showcasing Ramiz Raja as the reason for Pakistan's impressive W/L ratio while he was the chairman. @emranabbas

 

[emranabbas]

He has believed in stats showcasing Ramiz Raja as the reason for Pakistan's impressive W/L ratio while he was the chairman. @emranabbas

I debunked that in 2 mins wins were against Netherlands Scotland Bangladesh west indies zimbabwe and Hong-Kong Afghanistan and nambia

 

[pakistani pride]

View attachment 151593

This Joker (Babar) and his fans are the reason for the downfall. I mean you do not need stats or number to see. Babar is bang average and nothing special. How on earth people keep mentioning Kohli when discussing Babar ?!

 

[FearlessRoar]

Mohammad Yousuf while speaking on local tv show:

"If you don't pick skilled people, if they aren't technically strong, how will they know what potential a player has and how to improve them? You shouldn't directly tell a player about their weaknesses. Instead, training and practice should be designed in a way that naturally improves them."

"We can afford to talk when our team reaches the level of the West Indies in the 1980s or Australia in the 90s and early 2000s. Right now, we aren't in that position. If we keep relying only on talk, I warn the nation—things could get even worse. I've said this many times before, but people only listen to words, not actions."

 

[FearlessRoar]

Aaqib Javed, while addressing the press conference:

"Absolutely, I accept it because it is my responsibility [Poor performance of the team in ICC Champions Trophy 2025] as head coach. If you believe that I need to take a certain decision regarding this, I won’t hesitate. But let me tell you that I am still the interim coach for three months till the Champions Trophy. There isn’t enough time to bring someone else in. So, I am still the interim coach and will be traveling to New Zealand."

"If you look at it, in the last two and a half years, we have changed around 16 coaches and approximately 26 selectors. Apply this formula to any team in the world, and I believe their condition would be the same. But I still believe that continuity and consistency are necessary. If there is no consistency from the chairman down to the team, then performances won’t improve."

 

[Savak]

I keep hearing this boring cliche about Pakistan substandard domestic cricket being responsible for Pakistan's substandard cricket quality on display today. But the reality is that our previous greats came from the same environment and domestic cricket. Once these greats made use of the platform offered by domestic cricket and they got into the national side, they were able to become Pakistani greats and international greats because of their hard work, dedication to their craft, fitness and development of Cricketing IQ, Intelligence.

Unfortunately the decline in Pakistani cricketers in my opinion is primarily down to their complacency, lack of drive to become truly great players, the fact that they are able to achieve so much undeserved stardom, sponsorships because of social media, easy access to T-20 leagues all over the world hence why they prefer easy money and don't feel the need to put in the hard yards in ODI, Test Cricket and Domestic Cricket.

I blame the PCB for being extremely soft on the players and not holding them brutally accountable for mediocrity. It is just laughable how the PCB keeps forgiving the likes of Babar Azam, Rizwan, Shaheen, Rauf, Naseem for failing in big test series, ICC events and rather than dropping them from all formats and cancelling their NOCs, they are just rested for a few inconsequential games but are always a part of either the T-20, ODI or Test team. For some strange reason even a GHQ backed PCB Chairman is scared to take action against these players, heck he found it easier to get rid of two top foreign coaches but will think twice against taking action against the players or local coaches like Aqib Javed.

The day the PCB has competent selectors who know how to pick a team based on the conditions, form of the players with foresight, vision on how to build a squad for the future, a captain with game awareness, good understanding of bowling changes, field placements, team selection and a coaching staff, PCB which implements modern strength, nutrition standards by the law with no compromises, we can significantly uplift our performances by a good 60-70%.