There seems to be no end to the drama surrounding Pakistan’s disastrous Champions Trophy campaign. Pakistan, who entered the tournament as defending champions and hosts, crashed out in the group stage, failing to win even a single game. Since then, usual blame game has been going on withing Pakistan’s cricketing fraternity. While some have put the entire blame on the players, others have criticised the selection process behind the collapse. If this wasn’t enough, some experts gave a whole new perspective to this debate, accusing players who represented Pakistan in the 90s behind the flawed system.
Now, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has made another interesting revelation regarding the sad state of affairs in Pakistan. During a recent interaction, Afridi revealed that he Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi told him that he doesn’t know “anything about cricket.”
“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,” Afridi told Samaa TV.
Afridi took a dig at Naqvi for surrounding himself with bureaucrats who also don’t know anything about cricket.
“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,” he added.
“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?” questioned Afridi.
Afridi, however, blamed the flawed domestic cricket structure behind Pakistan’s inability to perform in big tournaments.
“Everyone’s seeing the Pakistan team. You should strengthen the domestic cricket structure. If the guardian is good, the child will automatically be good,” he further explained.
Naqvi, a former caretaker chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province, joined PCB as incumbent chairman last year. He is also serving as interior minister of Pakistan since 11 March 2024.
The Champions Trophy was Pakistan’s first major ICC tournament after last co-hosting the 1996 ODI World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.
“I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated PCB team, the vigilant law enforcement agencies, the supportive provincial governments, the esteemed ICC officials, and the phenomenal cricket teams that traveled to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. Your commitment and collective efforts ensured the seamless execution of this prestigious tournament, transforming it into a resounding success,” Naqvi posted on X.
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