Pakistani cricketer criticizes PCB after loss in series against England

The Pakistan cricket team continues to face difficulties in the series of matches against England. After two consecutive defeats in Headingley and Lord's, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made significant changes to the squad. Seven players were dropped from England, there were changes in the coaching staff, and selection committee member Akib Javed raised questions regarding Imam-ul-Haq's injury.

Akib Javed clearly stated that the incident with Imam's injury would be investigated. He questioned why Imam could not take the field in both innings of the Test, if he claimed to have muscle problems after a strain. Imam-ul-Haq sustained an ankle injury during fielding in the match at Lord's. Following this, he did not take the field for the remainder of the match and did not participate in either of Pakistan's innings, which led to Pakistan's defeat at Lord's by 194 runs. Since then, questions have arisen in Pakistani cricket regarding Imam's injury.

Interestingly, on the fourth day of the Test, on Sunday, Imam appeared on the field. He was engaged in shadow batting, but his gait clearly showed that he was not fully fit. A heavy bandage was applied to his left calf. These visuals prompted questions from Akib Javed. Akib noted that a player's muscle strain is not uncommon, but he is concerned about the fact that Imam did not take the field in both innings.

He also mentioned instances where players continue to try to contribute to the game by taking the field despite serious injuries or having casts. Akib assured that this matter would be reviewed, and appropriate measures would be taken if necessary. Akib serves as the Director of High Performance and a member of the PCB National Selection Committee.

In addition to Imam, the PCB dropped only seven players from the tour in England. Due to these changes, the roles of bowling coach Umar Gul and head coach Sarfar Ahmed were abolished. For the last Test against England, the responsibility will now be taken by head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke. Akib Javed supported the decision to return the seven players, deeming it necessary to change the team after two Test losses.

Pakistan included five inexperienced players in the squad for the third Test, which will be held in Birmingham. Furthermore, Sam Ayub and Abdullah Fazal returned to the team. Although their names are not new, their experience in Test cricket is extremely limited: Sam Ayub and Abdullah Fazal together have only played 10 Test matches.

Disputes within the Pakistani team concern not only injuries and player returns. Reports have emerged of disagreements between the team management and Akib Javed regarding the squad for the Lord's match. According to reports, Akib wanted a fast all-rounder to be included in the Lord's match alongside fast bowler Ubaid Shah and wicketkeeper-batsman Gazi Gori. He felt that Ubaid Shah should have been given a spot. Akib also commented on his bowling speed, noting that he is capable of bowling at around 140 km/h.

Moreover, Akib wanted to include Gazi Gori in the team, suggesting replacing him with Mohammad Rizwan. However, the team management did not follow Akib's advice. Instead, Salman Ali Agha, who captained the first Test in the absence of Babar Azam, was excluded from the squad. Akib Javed reported that after the first Test, he spoke with captain Babar Azam and the head coach, proposing the inclusion of Ubaid Shah. In Akib's view, the team should make necessary decisions instead of constantly waiting. He also insisted on including Gazi, but the team management made a different decision. This is why reports of disagreements within the Pakistani cricket team regarding decision-making have surfaced.

The third and final Test against England will begin on September 9th in Birmingham. However, the Pakistani team has undergone a complete transformation by this match. After two defeats, seven players were sent back, there were changes in the coaching staff, and five inexperienced players were included in the team. Now Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke face the task of managing the new team. On the other hand, the issue of Imam-ul-Haq's injury has become a major topic of discussion in Pakistani cricket. Following Akib Javed's announcement of an investigation, it will be important to see what steps the PCB takes in this matter. For now, the difficulties for the Pakistani cricket team are not limited to on-field play.

During the second match of the three-match test series between England and Pakistan, which began on August 27th at Lord's, a serious dispute arose between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the broadcaster Sky Sports. This incident added a political dimension to the game off the field.

The PCB filed an official complaint against Sky Sports and considered barring the Pakistani team from the field during the second session. The dispute stemmed from an interview with the sons of former Pakistan captain, Imran Khan—Kasim and Suleman Khan. The interview was recorded by former England captain and commentator Michael Erton at Lord's.

During the conversation, Kasim and Suleman expressed concern for their father's health while he is in prison, and about his deteriorating eyesight. It was this political context that caused dissatisfaction among the PCB.

Reports indicate that the PCB objected to the inclusion of political topics in Sky Sports' coverage of the match. The association allegedly warned that if the interview was shown, the Pakistani team might remain in the dressing room instead of taking the field after lunch. Sky Sports initially postponed the segment but later broadcast it during the lunch break. Following this, the PCB lodged a formal complaint against the broadcaster. Nevertheless, the Pakistani team eventually took the field, and the threat of a boycott was not realized.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was also informed about this situation. According to available information, the channel broadcasting the match in Pakistan did not show this interview. Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi since August 2023. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison on corruption charges. The 73-year-old Imran denies the charges, calling the cases politically motivated. His sons expressed concern over his health in the interview.

Recently, 21 former international captains appealed to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging him to ensure humane treatment and proper medical care for Imran. Among the athletes who signed this petition was Michael Erton. Former captains, including Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, demanded an independent medical examination of Imran, weekly family visits, and immediate treatment if necessary.

This is not the first time the PCB has threatened to boycott matches. During the 2025 Asia Cup, the association also caused a major stir by demanding the removal of umpire Andy Pycroft after the India-Pakistan match and warning of a boycott of the match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The ICC did not satisfy the PCB's demands and did not remove Pycroft from his post. Despite this, Pakistan eventually took the field against the UAE. The situation at Lord's developed similarly: the PCB took a hardline stance, filed a complaint, and contemplated withdrawing from the match, but the team ultimately continued playing.

In the current match at Lord's, the day proved positive for Pakistan. The team, having won the toss and decided to start with the toss, held England at 248/9 on the first day. Mohammad Abbas demonstrated excellent bowling performance, taking four wickets, while Mohammad Ali achieved three successes. England lost four batsmen at one point, trailing by 80 runs, but Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith stabilized the innings. Cox scored 55 runs, and Smith scored 61 runs.

Play on the first day was interrupted due to poor visibility. Captain Babar Azam returned to the Pakistani squad for this match, as he could not participate in the first match in Headingley due to injury. The Test match at Lord's holds great significance for the Pakistani team. In the first match of the series, England won by one innings and 103 runs.

Former captain of the Pakistan national team, Mohsin Khan, expressed serious concern regarding the consistent failures of the national team. He believes that if the current trend in matches continues, Pakistan will face difficulties in hosting bilateral series with leading global teams in the future.

Mohsin Khan, who played 69 Test matches and 219 ODIs, discussed the current state of Pakistani cricket in detail on a podcast. He raised questions not only about the team's performance but also about the working methods of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), selection committees, and the players themselves.

He noted that the team is struggling across all formats, but the situation in Test matches is causing the most worry. Mohsin Khan warned that if the situation remains the same, public interest in Pakistani cricket may decline, and the country risks dropping to lower divisions of world cricket, which would make organizing bilateral series with top teams a difficult task.

Criticism of PCB and Selection Committees

The former captain placed responsibility for the current state of Pakistani cricket on the PCB and the selection committees. In his opinion, constant changes in the team composition and in the cricket system itself have led to a loss of stability. Mohsin Khan pointed to the frequent changes in captains, coaches, and players, as well as the decisions of the national selection committees, which he finds incomprehensible.

He questioned the possibility of achieving good results with continuous rotation of management. According to him, success is impossible without sustainability, stability, and public trust. Mohsin Khan added that constant changes in club and national cricket over the past years have damaged Pakistani cricket, and players' trust in the system is decreasing.

While criticizing the PCB, he stated that decisions in Pakistani cricket are made not like in a strong institution, but often depend on the influence of certain individuals within the board. Mohsin emphasized that the change of chairpersons and management teams triggers changes in the cricket system that are not always positive, which calls into question the very stability of the system.

Questions Regarding Player Priorities

Mohsin Khan did not limit himself to criticizing the PCB and selection committees; he also expressed disappointment regarding the mindset and preparation of current players. He believes that many modern players do not dedicate enough time to developing their technique and cricketing temperament. Their priority has become earning maximum income from private leagues.

Mohsin Khan argued that a successful player attracts money himself. He mentioned that in his time, players earned millions, whereas today they receive hundreds of millions. However, he urged players not to forget that achieving success for one's country is the greatest achievement.

He also advised his son Azim Khan, who played for Pakistan, insisting that playing for Pakistan should be prioritized over participating in private leagues. Mohsin Khan believes that players' priorities have changed, and the PCB and selection committees have contributed to diminishing the importance of the Pakistan national team.

Example of Wasim, Waqar, and Shoaib

Mohsin Khan also expressed concerns about the current state of fast bowling in Pakistan. He observed that current bowlers do not appear ready for long training sessions. The former captain recounted playing with great fast bowlers such as Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Akhtar. In his view, achieving perfection in bowling and increasing speed is only possible through long training sessions targeting any surface of the field.