Student, data analyst and obviously cricket lover
Note: The views expressed in the article are of the Author only.
Pakistan cricket has always lived on the edge, one day you’re beating world champions, the next day you’re collapsing against a team few have even heard of.
That unpredictability used to be part of the charm, something fans learned to live with. But lately, it’s starting to feel less like unpredictability and more like instability. And that’s a problem.
In recent years, Pakistan hasn’t just had the odd off day, they have repeatedly fallen to lower-ranked sides, even associate nations. This is not a blip or a bad patch. It is a pattern. And it is becoming alarmingly familiar.
So, what is really going on? Why has Pakistan Cricket regressed so much at such rapid pace? Let’s take a deeper look at the issues surrounding the nation’s most beloved sport.
It’s tough to build anything solid when the foundation keeps shifting. In Pakistan cricket, management changes have become routine. One series there’s a new coach, the next there’s a different captain. There’s hardly any time for a strategy to settle, let alone for long-term plans to take shape.
Players are left uncertain about their roles, and fans are constantly guessing what’s coming next. Now compare that to teams like Australia or India. They give their leadership time to build a culture and put proper systems in place.
Pakistan, on the other hand, barely gives theirs time to unpack their bags.
This one is genuinely painful. The way Pakistan has handled injured players throughout history has been disappointing. We’ve seen stars like Imran Nazir, Shaheen, Naseem, and Ihsanullah, to name a few, either rushed back too soon or left to manage their recovery on their own.
And then there’s the case of Abid Ali. He was in phenomenal form, scoring hundreds on debut in both formats, before facing a serious health scare. Since then, it feels like he’s been completely forgotten. Other countries take care of their players, while Pakistan just moves on and leave them behind.
Pakistan has never lacked talent, but it has a long history of wasting it.
Players like Sami Aslam, Zafar Gohar, and Usman Khan left to find better opportunities abroad. Others such as Haider Ali, Qasim Akram, and Umer Khan were once seen as the next big thing, only to fade away without support.
The problem lies in the lack of investment in player development. One bad season often leads to being dropped. There is little patience and no real support system, and that is costing promising players their careers.
Politics runs deep in Pakistan, and unfortunately, cricket is no exception. The PCB chairman is appointed by the Prime Minister, which means that every change in government brings a new board, new plans, and new complications.
This constant turnover creates instability that trickles down to team selection, coaching staff, and even the structure of domestic cricket. It becomes nearly impossible to build a long-term vision when the sport is treated like a political portfolio.
To make matters worse, the current PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, also holds a ministerial position and is a member of the Senate. This overlap of roles has been seen before, most notably during the tenure of Najam Sethi, and it raises serious concerns about priorities and focus.
Too often, it feels like players are playing for themselves rather than the badge. Maybe it’s because they know one bad series could cost them their place, so the focus shifts to personal milestones instead of playing the situation.
You can see it in their body language and decision-making. Cricket is a team sport, and when players stop trusting each other or playing for one another, that’s when the cracks start to show.
This one stings the most. The team no longer feels like a cohesive unit. There is too much ego, too much internal rivalry. Instead of supporting one another, players often seem more focused on bringing each other down.
There also appears to be a resistance to learning and self-improvement. Feedback is not always received well, and when someone does try to grow, jealousy can get in the way.
It is impossible to build a champion side without humility and unity. At the moment, both are noticeably lacking.
This isn’t just about a few lost matches. It’s about a broken system.
Pakistan cricket has always had the talent. What it has lacked is structure, patience, and steady leadership. Fans are still showing up, still believing, still hoping. But how long will that last if nothing changes?
The people in charge, both on and off the field, need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. The constant chopping and changing has to stop. Players need to be backed. A long-term vision needs to be put in place.
Pakistan cricket deserves better. And so do its fans.
About the Author: Mubeen Hafeez Khan