Surgery is the only option but not in haste, says Mohsin Naqvi
Cricket
Says he will go home the moment he feel pressure
Decision on Babar Azam's captaincy will be taken after deliberations
Says he is undeterred by criticism and will not let PCB run on Twitter
Makes clear players need to put country ahead of league cricket
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Thursday the cricket affairs were in a mess and major decisions needed to be taken to set the house in order.
Speaking to media, he highlighted several issues one of which was related to possible measures after Pakistan’s dismal performance in the T20 World Cup.
WILL BABAR STAY?
He made it clear that he would not take any action in haste and Babar Azam’s future as captain would be discussed and determined by former cricketers (who have proper cricket knowledge).
He said major decisions would not be in the hands of armchair critics - a reference to detractors who criticise the players and management on TV channels and social media.
“No decision should be taken in haste and desperation,” he said, adding that he was in contact with former cricketers who wanted to see Pakistan regain their lost glory in cricket.
PCB WILL NOT RUN ON TWITTER
A visibly annoyed Naqvi said he would not allow the all-important PCB to be run on Twitter. He said he was not bothered about the barrage of criticism against him on Twitter.
“I will go home the day I feel the pressure,” he said.
He also hinted at action against the selection committee which also came under fire after team’s unceremonious exit from the mega event.
The PCB chief said he would meet head coach Gary Kirsten and assistant coach Azhar Mahmood to discuss the team’s performance and future course of action.
“Kirsten has submitted a detailed report on Pakistan team’s performance in the T20 World Cup,” said Naqvi.
He said he was aware of the allegations about grouping and politics in the Pakistan team. He said the players' inclusion in the national team would depend on their performance in domestic cricket.
He said the players would have to ensure their availability for Pakistan ahead of any league. He said no one would be allowed to play league cricket anywhere before Bangladesh series.
He said the Test matches against Bangladesh would be played in Multan, Karachi and Rawalpindi.
He said there would definitely be a postmortem of the central contract of the cricketers and revision would be made in keeping with performance.
He also said there would be no compromise on fitness of players.
He said what happened with Haris Rauf was not acceptable and he had asked the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to trace and penalise those involved in the incident.
GARY KIRSTEN’S REPORT
A day earlier (Wednesday), Pakistan’s head coach Gary Kirsten shared a report on team’s dismal performance in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 with the PCB chairman.
It is learnt that Kirsten has highlighted the skill level of players, mindset and physical fitness in the report.
He has questioned a lack of fitness of some players, saying they are incapable of contesting at the highest level. He has also suggested remedial measures to prepare the team for the upcoming events.
Earlier, chief selector Wahab Riaz shared a report with the PCB head and alleged fissures in the team and other issues.
The PCB chairman is also expected to meet Wahab Riaz and captain Babar Azam within the next few days.
After unsuccessful T20 World Cup bid in the United States and the West Indies, some cricketers had returned home soon after team’s exit from the tournament whereas Babar, Haris Rauf, Imad Wasim, Azam Khan and Mohammad Amir extended their stay in the US.
PCB’S KEY DECISION
Earlier, the PCB chief accentuated the need for a “major surgery” after team’s abysmal performance in the world cup.
He said the team needed an overhaul, hinting at taking key decisions to set the house in order.
A few days later, the PCB in a meeting decided to bolster the domestic cricket circuit by revising contracts of players and making other necessary changes.
According to media reports, the PCB decided to make participation in domestic cricket mandatory for selection in the national team.
