Key Takeaways
- PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi refutes claims that cricket in Pakistan is over.
- Naqvi cites improved rankings and recent series wins to support his stance.
- He argues that difficult decisions are necessary for team improvement.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has dismissed claims that cricket in Pakistan is finished, stating that such assertions are 'unreasonable'.
Naqvi, speaking to reporters in London on Wednesday, cited Pakistan's improved rankings under his tenure, particularly in one-day internationals (ODIs), as evidence against the notion that the sport is in decline.
He pointed out that Pakistan's ODI ranking has risen from eighth to fifth, and that the team has won four out of six recent series, despite heavy defeats in recent Test matches against England.
Naqvi acknowledged that the team's performance in Test cricket requires significant improvement but argued that it is unfair to declare the sport's terminal decline.
He also highlighted the success rate in ODIs, which has increased from 24% to 73%, and emphasized that these improvements are not just isolated incidents but reflect a broader trend.
Naqvi defended the mid-series shakeup during the national team’s Test tour of England, stating that difficult decisions are necessary for the team's growth and that such changes are part of the selection process.
Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali, however, expressed concerns about the impact of such decisions on player morale, suggesting that they create insecurity among the players.
Naqvi maintained that the board is only answerable for the results and that mistakes in selection are inevitable. He added that sometimes it is necessary to remove players if they do not perform well, but the purpose is not to demote them but to improve their performance.
He used the example of Salman Ali Agha, who was stand-in captain for the first Test but was subsequently dropped from the playing XI and then the squad altogether, to illustrate his point.
Naqvi concluded by urging critics to focus on the facts and stop demotivating the players, emphasizing that the board is responsible for the results but not for the decisions that lead to them.
South Africa lost to Namibia, India lost to Ireland. At least check there, has cricket finished there?
Mohsin Naqvi, PCB chairman
Those players who have never achieved anything in their lives, when they talk along these lines, that’s unreasonable.
Mohsin Naqvi, PCB chairman
