PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has struck a bleak tone about the perceived absence of depth within the Pakistan set-up, saying there are no players in the feeder system to replace any underperforming members of the team. A day after Pakistan succumbed to their first-ever Test defeat against Bangladesh, Mohsin Naqvi announced the mentors for the newly created Champions Cup, expressing confidence that the players it churns out would be capable of stepping up to the national side.
The PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has questioned the depth of the talent pool that Pakistan has in its domestic circuit by saying that the selection committee does not have enough resources to draw from and replace the underperforming players at the highest level. Mohsin Naqvi’s comments have come in the aftermath of Pakistan’s humiliating ten-wicket defeat in the Rawalpindi Test against Bangladesh. The defeat brought an end to Pakistan’s undisputed supremacy over Bangladesh in the red-ball format.
Notably, Mohsin Naqvi had famously said that the Pakistan’s senior men’s cricket team required surgery its group-stage exit at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and the Caribbean.
Mohsin Naqvi hopes Champions Cup enables PCB to perform ‘surgery’ amid Pakistan men’s team’s struggles vs Ban in 1st Test
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi reckons the domestic tournament called the Champions Cup will enable them to perform the much-required ‘surgery’ to overcome the men’s team’s struggles. Mohsin Naqvi stated that the selection committee hardly has the talent pool to choose players from currently.
Pakistan’s performances across formats over the last few months have rung alarm bells significantly. They hit a new low on Sunday (August 25) when Bangladesh consigned them to a humiliating 10-wicket loss in the first of the two Tests in Rawalpindi.
Recalling his ‘need to perform surgery’ comment amid T20 World Cup 2024, the 45-year-old said the selection committee is not at fault. He expects the selectors will get a wider pool of players for replacements from the Champions Cup. As quoted by ESPN Cricinfo, he stated:
“The problem is the selection committee has no pool to turn to from which to select players. I spoke of surgery because we need to fix our problems. But when we look at how to resolve them, we don’t have any solid data or player pool which we can draw from. The whole system was a mess. The Champions Cup will produce great talent, and we’ll have records for the games that happen. For surgery, you need all the tools to perform it.”
Mohsin Naqvi elaborated that kneejerk decisions are not possible, as suggested by fans and former cricketers. He said:
“This Cup will make domestic cricket strong, we’ll have a pool of 150 players, and then the surgery we need to be done, the selection committee will do. People said ‘do it all today, slit the throats of four-five players, and get rid of them’. You can’t dump someone unless you have a better one to replace them.”
The abilities and fitness levels of Pakistan’s players have come massively into question after the defeat to Bangladesh. The hosts’ top-order batters failed in both innings, while the bowlers toiled for 167.3 overs in the first innings.
“The selection committee had given the team 17 players” – Mohsin Naqvi
Mohsin Naqvi feels the loss to Bangladesh had nothing to do with the selection committee, adding:
“Losing to Bangladesh is sad but the selection committee had given the team 17 players. If the coach or captain aren’t playing some of them, that’s their decision. The team management may have made a mistake, but that has nothing to do with the selection committee.”
Shan Masood and Co. will be under massive pressure ahead of the second Test against Bangladesh, beginning on August 30 in Rawalpindi.