Nasser Hussain’s remarks come amidst Pakistan’s dismal performance in the ongoing series against England, where the team suffered a humiliating defeat by an innings and 47 runs in the first Test. The PCB’s subsequent decision to drop Babar Azam from the remainder of the series has sparked widespread confusion and criticism. The former English captain Nasser Hussain highlighted Pakistan cricket’s chaotic management structure, pointing out the frequent changes in leadership roles as a major hindrance to the team’s success.
Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah dropped for 2nd test due to poor performances
After facing a humiliating defeat against England in the first Test by an innings and 47 runs at Multan, the new PCB selection board dropped former Pakistan captain Babar Azam, pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed from the squad for the remaining two test matches.
They were replaced these players with Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, Kamran Ghulam (all uncapped), fast bowler Mohammad Ali and off-spinner Sajid Khan. In the first Test against England at Multan, Babar Azam failed to impress in both innings, scoring 30 and 5, respectively. As per stats, his last 50 plus score in Tests came 18 innings ago, during the Multan Test against New Zealand back in December 2022. Earlier this month, he also resigned from his position as white-ball captain after being criticized for poor returns with the bat.
Apart from this, the PCB also included Noman Ali and Zahid Mehmood in the 16-player squad for the remaining Tests at Multan and Rawalpindi. The decision was made by a new selection panel, which included Aleem Dar, Aaqib Javed, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Hasan Cheema, the coach, and the captain.
The PCB has faced significant criticism for its management decisions in recent years, and Nasser Hussain’s comments echo sentiments shared by many former players and cricket experts. Following Pakistan’s crushing defeat in the first Test, the PCB replaced several mainstays with uncapped and inexperienced players, a move seen by some as desperate and reactionary.
Nasser Hussain questions Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah’s exclusion before 2nd test
Former captain Nasser Hussain has slammed Pakistan management for excluding the star trio of Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah for the remainder of the Test series against England. The Men in Green suffered an embarrassing innings and 47-run defeat in the series opener, making it a sixth consecutive Test loss.
Babar combined for only 35 runs across the two innings, extending his dismal run in Tests to 18 straight innings without a half-century. Meanwhile, Shaheen and Naseem combined for woeful figures of 3/277 as England scored a massive 823/7 declared in their first innings.
The string of poor results resulted in the selectors excluding the trio in a shocking movie despite reaffirming that they had been rested and not dropped for the remainder of the England series.
Speaking to Sky Sports on the eve of the second Test, Hussain feels the issue was not with the players but more how Pakistan cricket is run.
“The issues is not Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi or Naseem Shah. The issue is behind the scenes in the way Pakistan cricket runs. In the paper, I saw there were 26 different selectors; in another it said 27. Nobody can keep count. How many have England had? Two or three, maybe. But if you keep changing selectors, coaches, captains – constantly shuffling leadership – it’s impossible to plan ahead,” said Hussain.
He added:
“No successful business or sports team works that way. When you operate with short-term thinking, you show up unprepared, and by the time you lose the first Test, you’re already scrambling for solutions.”
Shan Masood took over as Pakistan’s Test captain from Babar Azam at the end of last year. However, the side hasn’t tasted victory in his first six matches as skipper, including a 0-2 home series defeat to Bangladesh.
“They shoot themselves in the foot” – Nasser Hussain
Nasser Hussain acknowledged Pakistan’s financial challenges compared to the other richer boards yet pointed out how they often compound matters by shooting themselves in the foot.
Apart from the struggles in Tests, Pakistan has also struggled in the white-ball formats. The Men in Green suffered an embarrassing first-round exit in the 2024 T20 World Cup, including a loss to minnows USA.
“Their cricket and some of it, you give them a bit of leeway because of the way the finances of the world game have gone with the big three, and they’re picking up the scraps like other nations are. So I really feel for Pakistan cricket and we mustn’t be too harsh on them, but at times, they shoot themselves in the foot,” said Hussain.
The inclusion of five fresh players for the second and third Tests, most of whom have limited or no Test experience, has raised eyebrows. Among the newcomers, only Sajid Khan and Mohammad Ali have played Tests this year, while Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, and Haseebullah are set to make their Test debuts. The second Pakistan-England Test will be played at the same venue (Multan) as the opening encounter, starting (October 15).