Photo Credit: Instagram Photo of @safridiofficial, Twitter Profile Photo of @MohsinnaqviC42
Shahid Afridi has raised serious concerns about the current state of cricket in Pakistan, bringing to light a comment from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who allegedly admitted he doesn’t know “anything about cricket.”
Afridi’s remarks come amid widespread debate following Pakistan’s disappointing early exit from the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, where the Mohammad Rizwan-led team failed to progress beyond the group stage.
The team’s performance in the tournament was underwhelming, with defeats to New Zealand and India leaving them unable to make it to the semi-finals. The final group-stage match against Bangladesh was washed out by rain, leaving Pakistan at the bottom of the group.
Amidst this, Afridi took aim at Naqvi’s leadership of the PCB, urging him to surround himself with people knowledgeable about cricket rather than relying on bureaucrats. Afridi shared his thoughts during an appearance on Samaa TV: “I met the chairman sahab a few days ago in Lahore. The initiative about the grounds, the work done at the Gadaffi stadium, is pretty good and pretty beautiful. He has worked, and he wants to work further. But he also says that he doesn’t know anything about cricket. When you don’t know cricket then you should work with good, technical people who have some connection with the sport.”
Afridi’s frustration extends beyond Naqvi’s admission, as he highlighted the broader issue of Pakistan cricket’s leadership. “The faces we are seeing in the selection committee and directors, they don’t know cricket, they have all been bureaucrats. What is their relation with cricket? Why are they sitting in the selection committee? Why are they running the domestic cricket system?” Afridi questioned.
He emphasized the importance of improving Pakistan’s domestic cricket structure, adding, “Everyone’s seeing the Pakistan team. You should strengthen the domestic cricket structure. If the guardian is good, the child will automatically be good.”
The internal shakeups within the PCB have been frequent over the past few years, with coaches resigning and captaincy shifting from one player to another. This has contributed to an environment where the senior team’s performance has suffered, further amplified by the lack of experienced cricket professionals in key positions.
Naqvi, a former caretaker chief minister of Punjab, has served as PCB chairman since last year. Under his leadership, Pakistan’s cricket team also failed to progress beyond the group stage in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, further fueling criticism of his tenure. Afridi’s comments have sparked a conversation about the need for more cricket expertise within the PCB to guide the team and the sport’s overall development in the country.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
