PCB Chief Naqvi Rejects Claims Pakistan Cricket Is in Terminal Decline

LONDON: Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has rejected suggestions that the national game is in terminal decline, defending the board’s recent decisions amid mounting criticism following Pakistan’s heavy defeats in the ongoing Test series against England. Naqvi said it was unreasonable to portray Pakistan cricket as finished and argued that performances should be judged across formats and over a broader period.

His remarks came after the PCB faced a strong public backlash over a major mid-series overhaul during the England tour. Seven players and two members of the coaching staff were replaced after Pakistan suffered convincing losses at Headingley and Lord’s, leaving England with an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. The scale and timing of the changes prompted criticism from supporters, former players and analysts.

Naqvi pointed to Pakistan’s improved position in one-day international cricket as evidence that the overall picture was more complicated than the recent Test results suggested. He said Pakistan had climbed from eighth to fifth in the ODI rankings and had won four of six recent ODI series. He also cited an improved success rate in the format while acknowledging that the Test team remained in need of substantial improvement.

The PCB chairman accepted that selection decisions could sometimes prove wrong and said responsibility ultimately rested with the board for results. He defended the principle of replacing players who were not performing, describing such moves as an attempt to find combinations that work rather than simply remove individuals from the national setup. Salman Ali Agha, who captained Pakistan in the opening Test before being dropped from the playing XI and later released from the squad, was among the examples discussed.

Naqvi also pushed back against criticism from former cricketers, saying assessments of Pakistan’s condition should be based on facts and results rather than sweeping conclusions. At the same time, he said former players were regularly consulted and that criticism of individual decisions remained legitimate. His comments follow former captain Azhar Ali’s warning that repeated changes and instability could create insecurity among players and undermine long-term planning.

The controversy has placed the PCB’s management strategy under intense scrutiny. Critics have questioned whether frequent alterations to coaching, selection and playing personnel can produce sustained improvement, particularly in Test cricket. The board, however, maintains that difficult decisions are necessary when performances fall below expectations and says progress in other formats should also be considered when evaluating the state of Pakistan cricket.

Naqvi argued that transforming a team’s international standing requires time and could not realistically be achieved within only a few months. He urged critics not to demoralise the players while insisting that the PCB remained accountable for its decisions. He also suggested that some of the criticism directed at the cricket structure was driven by personal opposition to him, while asking detractors to separate criticism of his leadership from attacks on the national game itself.

Pakistan now head towards the third and final Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham on September 9 with the series already lost but significant pressure on the reshaped squad and coaching setup. The match will provide an immediate test of whether the PCB’s changes can produce a stronger performance, while the wider debate over stability, selection policy and the future direction of Pakistan cricket is likely to continue beyond the tour.