PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has voiced concerns about the lack of depth in Pakistan's cricket setup, expressing doubts about the availability of suitable replacements for underperforming players. Following Pakistan’s historic first-ever Test defeat to Bangladesh, Naqvi unveiled the mentors for the newly established Champions Cup, hoping it will produce players ready to step up to the national team.
Naqvi, who previously mentioned the need for "major surgery" on the Pakistan squad after their disappointing T20 World Cup performance, now appears to believe that the structural support needed for such changes is lacking. He noted that the selection committee has limited options, saying, "The problem is the selection committee has no pool to turn to for selecting players. I mentioned surgery because our issues need fixing. But when we consider how to address them, we realise there isn’t a solid data or player pool to draw from. The entire system was in disarray. The Champions Cup will generate great talent, and we’ll have records of these games. To perform surgery, you need the right tools."
While Pakistan does have domestic records, traditionally used for international selections, Naqvi did not specify the exact type of data he desired. However, he expressed confidence that the Champions Cup would provide better data and records to inform future selections. He explained that the approximately 150 players chosen for the tournament were primarily selected through computerised systems.
Naqvi highlighted that the Champions Cup would strengthen domestic cricket, creating a pool of 150 players. He pointed out that when people suggest drastic changes, like cutting players, replacements must be better than those being replaced. "Eighty percent of these players were selected by AI, with 20% input from humans. No one can dispute that. We gave about 20% weight to our selection committee. If we replace a player with someone worse, people will be the first to criticise. We’ll have transparent records to see who truly deserves a spot on the team."
As the Pakistan cricket team continues to struggle across formats, the pressure on several players has intensified. Decades of neglect in the domestic structure, often altered based on the whims of PCB leadership, have strained the systems designed to develop players. Last year’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy top scorers included veterans like Sarfaraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq, with no players under 25 in the top five. Similarly, Pakistan has struggled to produce quality spin bowlers, with Abrar Ahmed being the only current viable option, as domestic red-ball competitions have failed to deliver.
Naqvi stated that the Champions Cup would conclude in September, and the records from the tournament would determine future selections. He assured that any underperforming player would be promptly replaced, ensuring that decisions aren’t influenced by personal opinions or preferences.
However, the practicality of this approach remains uncertain. The upcoming Champions Cup is a one-day tournament, while Pakistan’s next challenge is a three-match Test series against England. Selecting players based on their performance in a different format has not always been successful for Pakistan. Naqvi also defended the selection committee against criticism for not playing a frontline spinner in the Rawalpindi Test, clarifying that this decision was made by the captain, coach, and team management.
"Losing to Bangladesh is disappointing, but the selection committee provided the team with 17 players. If the coach or captain chose not to play some of them, that was their decision. The team management may have made a mistake, but that’s not the selection committee’s fault," Naqvi stated.
The second Test, which Pakistan must win to avoid a series defeat, is scheduled to take place from August 30 to September 3 in Rawalpindi.