Pakistan’s cricket team is facing a serious crisis, as evident in their recent 10-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in the first Test at Rawalpindi. This loss marked a historic moment, as Bangladesh secured their first-ever Test victory against Pakistan in 14 attempts. The defeat underscored Pakistan’s ongoing struggles in the longer format, raising significant concerns about their performance.
Following the loss, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi expressed his frustration over the team’s lack of quality backup players, highlighting a critical issue within the team’s structure and player development.
“The problem is the selection committee has no pool to turn to for high-quality replacement players,” Naqvi was quoted as saying by AP.
His comments point to a significant problem in identifying and nurturing talented players within the Pakistani cricketing system. This issue has come to the forefront at a time when Pakistan is experiencing a series of defeats in home Tests. The team hasn’t won a Test at Rawalpindi since December 2021 against South Africa, facing five losses and four draws in the subsequent home Tests.
Naqvi’s concerns extend beyond the Test format. Following Pakistan’s early exit from the Super Eight stage at the T20 World Cup, where they were defeated by India and the United States, he emphasized the need for a complete overhaul of the team.
“We want to fix our problems,” Naqvi explained. “But when we look at how to resolve them, we don’t have any solid data or [elite] players pool which we can draw from.”
Naqvi’s remarks highlight the urgent need for structural changes within Pakistan cricket to develop a stronger, more reliable pool of players capable of performing consistently at the international level. The lack of a robust player development program and a limited pool of backup players pose serious challenges to the future of Pakistan cricket.
