Pakistan cricket has faced significant turmoil for quite some time. The team’s disappointing performances in the ODI and T20 World Cups sparked widespread criticism, resulting in numerous changes in both leadership and administration. The situation worsened after the Shaan Masood-led Test team suffered a 2-0 defeat at home to Bangladesh, followed by a loss to England in Multan.
In response to these poor results, the Pakistan Cricket Board appointed a new selection committee, reducing its size from seven to five members. The committee, headed by former pacer Aaqib Javed, includes Aleem Dar, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, and Hassan Cheema. Notably, the captain and head coach have been stripped of their voting rights in the selection process.
Recently, Javed met with India’s current head coach, Gautam Gambhir, who expressed his concerns about the state of Pakistan cricket. In a podcast, Javed shared details of their conversation, stating, “We met the Indian players during our series against Sri Lanka. Gautam Gambhir asked me, ‘Aaqib bhai, what has happened to Pakistan cricket? There is so much talent, yet what have they done?”
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Javed, who played in 22 Tests and 163 ODIs, noted that Pakistan’s decline has diminished the excitement of India-Pakistan matches. He remarked that Gambhir felt sorry for the situation, emphasizing that the rivalry between the two nations provides immense thrill in cricket. “When your team falls like this, it takes away the charm from one of the game’s biggest matchups. People at the ICC laugh about it,” Javed concluded.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is currently attempting to level the three-match Test series against England at home. The hosts set England a challenging target of 297 runs, and by the end of day three, England found themselves at 36-2 after Sajid dismissed Ben Duckett (nought) and fellow spinner Noman Ali took out Zak Crawley (three). Ollie Pope and Joe Root remain unbeaten at 21 and 12, respectively, with 261 runs still needed for victory and two days left to play.