On Monday, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi expressed the board’s desire to replace underperforming senior players but highlighted the lack of adequate backup players to do so.

During a press conference in Lahore, Naqvi clarified that the decline in Pakistan cricket’s performance did not start during his tenure but has been ongoing for the past three years.

He emphasized the need for a significant overhaul, stating, “We need a pool of backup players for this ‘surgery.’ Currently, we don’t even have 25 players ready. We lack sufficient data on young talents to proceed with the changes.”

Naqvi criticized the team management following Pakistan’s early exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup, insisting that major changes were necessary. He suggested that it was time to consider players who have been sidelined.

The PCB chairman also expressed optimism about the newly launched Champions tournaments. He mentioned that player selection for the new domestic tournament was largely driven by technology, with 80% of players chosen through computerized data and only 20% through human intervention, ensuring high-quality selection.

Pl, subscribe to the YouTube channel of republicpolicy.com

Naqvi was confident that the Champions Cup would provide enough players to facilitate the required changes.

Pakistan’s cricket team has faced numerous challenges in recent years, including frequent captaincy changes, inconsistent performances, and internal discord. Recently, the team suffered a 10-wicket defeat in the opening Test match against Bangladesh, marking Bangladesh’s first-ever Test win on Pakistani soil after Pakistan declared their first innings at 448/6.

Naqvi acknowledged the criticism following this defeat, admitting the team’s performance was highly disappointing. He also faced backlash from fans questioning his promised overhaul.

Naqvi, who also serves as the Federal Interior Minister, reiterated his commitment to improving Pakistan cricket.