Due to the constant dipping performances by Pakistan on the international scene, and enduring the first Test series lost to Bangladesh, criticism from players and even from cricket fans as well has been bent towards both, players and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB, because they feel that Ex-wicketkeeper Rashid Latif has pointed fingers at individuals who have been the chairman of PCB for quite some years now even though they are not involved in the sport anymore.
“Jitne bhi chairman aaye hain vo tabah kar rahe hain last four years se (The people who became the chairman in last four years have been in the business of destruction of Pakistan cricket),” Rashid Latif said on his show ‘Caught Behind’.
The tour began bright for the visitors, New Zealand with a 10 wicket win in the first, followed by a further six wicket triumph for Bangladesh in the second Test in Rawalpindi. This gave the tourists their first ever Test series win against Pakistan and of course the way they thumped a team that has never lost a match in the sum of tests only attracted a huge disappointment from the Pakistani pundits and supporters.
‘Who brought him (Shan Masood) vis a vis (Test) captain?Um Captain Babar Azam ko kyoonhataya, Pakistan ka to sab leharakar dooba diya?’ Rashid Latif asked.
Also, all these decisions were made when Zaka Ashraf was in office as chakra.
“Stop right there! What is he doing on this particular occasion; is he taking interviews?’ Now Rashid Latif was still putting Ashraf to the test.”
Some questioning the management team unity do so particularly following the drama that came with that caused Babar take a back seat on captaincy after the ODI World Cup, when Afridi was captain for a series then Masood became test captain.
T20 World Cup came and saw Babar back in the hot seat but to sadness, it was a shambolic defeat as the first team out of the group stage.
“There had been no differences of opinion on the part of Babar Azam or Shaheen even after I decided to have the later as the T20 Captain,’ Ashraf said in one of his recent interviews with a local Pakistan channel. ‘No, the unity didn’t get disbanded (after Babar was removed from the post). Actually, the unity became better. When we told him so that we can play him as a player which is what he is good at playing and not captain, he accepted.”
In spite of the poor performances by the team in all formats under different captains including Ashraf, coming to the conclusion that a change in captains was a bad idea was something he would not consider.
“Masood was quite a captain. He still is a very good player. He is also still a captain in England’s counties. And, I made Shaheen Shah the captain of T20I side. That was also a very good decision,” said Ashraf further.
“Team banana kis ka kaam hai. Zaka Ashraf ka ya Misbah ka? (who’s responsibility is it to make the team-a-shraf or a-misbah)’ said Rashid Latif so as to portray the office bearing capabilities of former cricketer, coach and chief selector Misbah-Ul-Haq who made a comeback to PCB as an advisor to ashraf as well as being a head of a cricket committee.
‘When he is performing each and every activity being done including creating that team and dealers with their selection like Babar, what for whom is he shedding the spoilers – Like Babar – said latif further – Strategy: we all pushed you against a wall, and picked a dog handed over to lady uukha. So assistance: We knew that woman you demanded a complete blow up the gathering instigated began it disbanding from predominantly viciously enjoyed gunhe who thanked you proceeded.’
‘The victory for Bangladesh which once again brought pakistani knives out against them was important in the sense the visitors having been reduced to 26 for 6 in their first innings of the second test was what limited the first inning lead of pakistan to merely 12 runs.’
It did motivate their rookie pacers Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana, who between them shared nine wickets and bundled the home side out for 172, thus conceding a score of 185 to the visitors in chase. They comfortably covered it on the last day of the affair.
“Those who did the damage and exited how will they be made to answer? Chairman-ship should never be ceremonial. These fellows are not accountable. It should be enshrined in the Constitution of the PCB that — you (chairman) can not appoint a captain, you can not appoint a selection committee. Sandhu indignantly elaborated,” said Rashid Latif.
“You have put all the authority in the hands of a chairman. They really don’t know anything about cricket.”
Mohsin Naqvi is the curent chairman of the PCB. He was appointed in February 2024.
