‘Unreasonable’ to say cricket in Pakistan has finished: PCB chief Naqvi

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has labelled claims of cricket being finished in the country as “unreasonable”, citing Pakistan’s improved rankings under his tenure to prove otherwise. “South Africa lost to Namibia, India lost to Ireland. At least check there, has cricket finished there? ” said Naqvi while speaking to reporters in London on Wednesday. The PCB has received much criticism for the mid-series shakeup during the national team’s Test tour of England, in which seven players and two coaches from the initial squad were replaced after heavy defeats in Headingley and Lords. The decision gathered the ire of fans, pundits and former players alike. Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali was one of them — while speaking to Dawn on Wednesday, he said that difficult decisions like these cause “insecurity among the players, ” and that they need to be made within stable frameworks. Naqvi, however, believes it inappropriate to claim that Pakistan cricket is at its worst, and that the white-ball teams have shown improvement in the recent past. “You used to be ranked eighth in ODIs, which has now gone up to fifth. You have had six ODI series, out of which you have won four, but still, our cricket is finished, ” he said, resorting to sarcasm. “Our success rate has gone up from 24 pc to 73pc, and I’m not talking about just one or the other specific match, but still, our cricket is finished. ” Naqvi added that while everyone retained the right of criticism and to ask why certain games had been lost, and that the team’s performance in Test cricket required much improvement, it was unfair to deem it a terminal decline. “Those players who have never achieved anything in their lives, when they talk along these lines, that’s unreasonable, ” he said, adding that he sought opinions from ex-players constantly. He also said it is called a problem regardless of whether players are retained or removed, and that ultimately the board is “only answerable for the results. ” “Sometimes there are mistakes made in selection as well. I am answerable for that, and we need to work on it, ” he said, adding that sometimes it was necessary to remove players if they do not perform. “The purpose is not to kick someone out, but to change them in case they are not clicking, ” he said, giving 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. He added that it was not possible to take a team from number nine to number one in a matter of three or six months, and that there was “a long way to go”. “These are facts you can check and verify yourselves, if they are wrong, we are responsible, ” he said, “but the way you are demotivating the boys, please stop doing that. ” Naqvi also added that the scorn for these decisions has come as criticism of himself. “Actually, they just want to drive me out, nothing else. ” “If someone has resentment towards me, by all means criticise me personally. But don’t target cricket. ” The Pakistan cricket team, along with Naqvi were welcomed to the Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, for an audience with King Charles. The team will play the third and final Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham on September 9.

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