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The golden era of Pakistan cricket, once ruled by legends like Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Javed Miandad, and Shahid Afridi, now feels like a distant memory. While the 1980s and 1990s saw Pakistan dominate world cricket, the team’s recent performances have exposed deep-rooted struggles.
A string of early exits from major tournaments—including the 2023 ODI World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the recently concluded Champions Trophy—has only added to the woes. A home Test series defeat against Bangladesh further highlighted the national team’s downward trajectory. Even a rare Test series win against England was clouded by last-minute pitch alterations, raising more questions than providing answers.
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PCB’s Leadership Crisis and Inconsistency
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been plagued by instability, with a constant shuffle in leadership over the past few years. Former PCB chairmen such as Ramiz Raja, Najam Sethi, Zaka Ashraf, and Mohsin Naqvi have all taken turns at the helm, but stability remains elusive.
Ehsan Mani, who served as PCB chairman from 2018 to 2021, believes that Pakistan’s talent pool isn’t the issue—the real problem lies in structuring the cricketing ecosystem efficiently. In an interview with Hindustan Times, he stressed the importance of systemic reforms.
“Look, there’s no shortage of talent in Pakistan. It’s a matter of just going back and rethinking how to take Pakistan cricket forward. I had started the process by introducing a new format for first-class cricket, and in fact, for all forms of cricket in Pakistan, based on provincial teams,” Mani explained.
“What we have in Pakistan is a lot of cricket but very little quality cricket. PCB needs to go back and ensure that high-quality, competitive cricket is being played, which is not the case today.”
Adding to the turmoil, Pakistan’s captaincy has resembled a game of musical chairs, with Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and then Babar again taking charge within a span of just eight months. The abrupt departures of coaches Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie further reflected the instability. Gillespie, in particular, openly questioned the appointment of Aaqib Javed as coach, adding another layer of controversy.
Mani believes this lack of continuity is hurting Pakistan cricket and insists that stability must come from the top.
“The policy must come from the top, along with consistent support from coaches and management. There must be clarity in the way forward,” he stated.
“Hopefully, the current chairman has been there for a while, and he will start implementing his ideas. But Pakistan cricket’s future shouldn’t depend on just one person—it should be a collective effort of the entire PCB board.”
Mani Blasts Shahid Afridi for ‘Personal Agendas’
Shahid Afridi recently made headlines by revealing that current PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi admitted to having little knowledge about cricket. Afridi went a step further, comparing Pakistan cricket’s situation to a patient in the ICU, calling for accountability.
However, Ehsan Mani dismissed Afridi’s remarks, claiming that such statements stem from personal agendas rather than genuine concern.
“I do not give any credibility to what Shahid Afridi or anyone else says. They have their personal agendas. So I wouldn’t go there. No comment on that,” Mani asserted.
“Leadership must come from the chairman and the PCB board of directors. These external criticisms don’t hold much weight.”
Mani Slams ICC Over ‘Mismanaged’ Champions Trophy Hosting
Pakistan hosted the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 under a hybrid model, with India’s matches being played in Dubai. However, the tournament schedule was only released two months before the event—something Mani believes was a major failure on the ICC’s part.
“It’s very disappointing how the event was managed. The responsibility for this lies with the ICC,” said Mani, who previously served as ICC President from 2003 to 2006.
“When they allocated events to India and Pakistan, knowing the political situation, the ICC should have dealt with these issues long before the tournament began. Instead, it was left to the 11th hour. That was totally wrong.”
There were claims that India benefited unfairly from playing all their matches in Dubai, a venue with familiar conditions. However, Mani dismissed these concerns.
“The pitch was the same for all teams playing there. Yes, BCCI played on one ground, but that was decided by the ICC from the beginning. There’s no point in criticizing it afterward.”
Pakistan to Play T20 World Cup 2026 Matches in Sri Lanka
Ahead of the Champions Trophy, the ICC had announced that India-Pakistan matches in ICC events (2024-2027 cycle) would be held at neutral venues. As a result, Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 games will now be played in Sri Lanka instead of India—a decision that has significant implications.
Mani believes this is more of a BCCI-driven decision rather than an ICC one.
“This isn’t really an ICC issue—it’s a BCCI call. They decided they wouldn’t tour Pakistan, and while Pakistan agreed to travel for the World Cup, BCCI didn’t fulfill its assurances,” he pointed out.
“When I was PCB chairman, there were recorded assurances in ICC minutes that the BCCI and the Indian government would ensure visas for Pakistan journalists, fans, and officials. That didn’t happen.”
Mani placed the onus on ICC Chairman Jay Shah to ensure such issues don’t arise in future tournaments.
“Today, Jay Shah is the chairman of the ICC. He has been deeply involved with Indian cricket. It’s his responsibility to make sure that these things don’t happen again.”
The Road Ahead for Pakistan Cricket
With criticism mounting from all sides, the future of Pakistan cricket hangs in the balance. While the national team continues to struggle with consistency, leadership, and structural issues, the calls for reform are growing louder. Whether PCB can find stability and revive Pakistan cricket’s lost glory remains to be seen.
