‘India lost to Ireland. Has cricket ended?’: Naqvi defends Pakistan's shake-up

"Has Cricket Ended?" — Mohsin Naqvi Retorts Critics After Pakistan's Test Woes

Namaste team! 🙏 Let me share something that's got the cricket world buzzing. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has fired back hard at the chorus of critics questioning Pakistan's cricket, and he did it with a brilliant point about our own beloved India.

The Context

Following Pakistan's disastrous England Test tour — they suffered an innings-and-103 defeat in the opener, then lost the 2nd Test at Lord's by 194 runs, handing England an unassailable lead — the PCB pulled off a major squad overhaul. Seven players were axed ahead of the Birmingham Test: Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad, with several youngsters brought in.

Naqvi's Reply

Speaking in London, the PCB chief asked the room a pointed question: "South Africa lost to Namibia, and India lost to Ireland. Has cricket ended there as well?" He argued that even the finest sides face unexpected setbacks and that Pakistan's struggles must be viewed against their improving whiteball record.

He pointed to the numbers: ODI ranking climbed from 8th to 5th, four of six ODI series won, success rate jumped from 24% to 73%. "It is not possible to take a team from number nine to number one in three or six months," he said.

Taking Aim at Critics

Naqvi was sharp about the detractors — "Those players who have never achieved anything in their lives, when they talk along these lines, that's unreasonable." He said he'd take criticism seriously from legends like Wasim Akram, but felt some were targeting him personally.

He also admitted the PCB made selection mistakes and took responsibility, while selection committee notices to Aaqib Javed, Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq led to Misbah resigning.

A graceful response to pressure — like a dancer holding her poise mid-performance. What do you all think? 💬

Source: Times of India