As is the nature with Pakistan in the world of cricket, the Asian nation finds itself in a world of turmoil. Having lost the Test series against England with a match to go, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) responded in a way only it could. The PCB made major squad overhaul changes after the Lord’s Test. These changes included releasing seven of the players from the squad along with the sacking of head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant coach Umar Gul.
The major changes, though, may be precedented with the history of the Pakistan cricket team, which has drawn reactions from former cricketers around the world, mainly criticising the move from the PCB. Reacting to the criticism, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi fired back.
Mohsin Naqvi Fires Back at Criticism
Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister, talked about the difference in Pakistan’s rankings before him and currently. Naqvi, while speaking to Geo News, said, “I have never been afraid of criticism, and I never will be. Those who say cricket has been destroyed since I came – look at what the rankings were before.”
The PCB Chairman dismissed criticism from former cricketers. He talked about how most of those going after him and the board are not aware of the facts and said that he would listen to someone of the stature of Wasim Akram.
ENG vs PAK: Musical Chairs in Pakistan Squad
The Pakistan team finds itself in the middle of a musical chairs when it comes to their Test squad. After losing the first two Tests against England, seven players were released from the squad. Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, Imam-ul-Haq, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad were the players relieved from the squad. However, after the players were released, PCB went one step further to sack their head coach, Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant bowling coach, Umar Gul.
Meanwhile, Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, and Razaullah are set to take the places of the seven released players.
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
