Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar strongly criticized the team after their poor run in the Asia Cup 2025. He expressed disappointment over the overall state of Pakistan cricket and highlighted several shortcomings in the side.
Akhtar came down heavily on skipper Salman Ali Agha, saying he neither deserved a place in the team nor the captaincy. He also questioned head coach Mike Hesson for avoiding proper fast bowlers and batters, instead relying on half-prepared all-rounders.
“Where will the attitude come when the captain [Salman Agha] is not inspiring? When the captain doesn’t deserve his place in the side, what can he do to inspire? The captain is a reflection of the cricket board’s choices. Pakistan team’s performances are a reflection of the coaches. You have brought in a coach [Mike Hesson] who isn’t willing to listen to stuff. We have died here (on channels) telling him, play one more fast bowler bhai (brother), and one more batter in Hasan Nawaz. But the coach says no, he wants to play half-baked all-rounders. They can’t win you the matches in critical situations,” stated Akhtar on ARY News.
Akhtar also chastised the team’s management for being “insecure” about developing genuine potential and producing star players. He compared Pakistan’s management to their Indian counterparts, emphasizing the degree of disparity. Akhtar underlined that Agha’s status on the team was unjustified.
If Haris Rauf isn’t performing, you have options but you haven’t played them. When the management is insecure, then they won’t allow big people to get forward – and the work won’t be done. India makes a hero of Virat Kohli also, Shubman Gill also, Abhishek Sharma also – why aren’t they insecure about making heroes? Here the management needs to be secure. Senseless and headless-chicken management. The team combinations weren’t right, the captaincy wasn’t spot-on, and they weren’t willing to listen to us (former players talking on channels). I don’t think the captain justifies his place in the middle-order and as a spinner.”
Shoaib Akhtar
The 50-year-old further criticized the PCB for prioritizing “timid, mediocre players” over “strong personalities”. Akhtar strongly denounced the PCB’s policies as useless.
“These were the days when we used to enjoy tearaway fast bowlers. We used to enjoy and celebrate unusual talents. But now, we seem to like timid, mediocre players. Hume ab shareef bacche chahiye (we now want obedient kids), jo aath baje curfew lagaake ghar pe baith jaaye (who will sit inside their rooms after the 8 pm curfew). Cricket board ko in jaise bechaare, lallu-kattu chahiye (the board wants these kinds of innocent and naive kids). They don’t want strong personalities. This is the reflection of the policies of the PCB.”
Shoaib Akhtar
The former express pacer stated the actual reason why he will never join the PCB management. He blamed them for the decrease in decision-making since they did not want strong personalities.
“From the first day after my retirement, I had decided that I will never join the PCB as whoever has gone there, has never come out with respect. I work in TV, take money and sit. These guys don’t want strong personalities. Mohsin Naqvi is probably a smart guy, but he takes advice from those people. Look at the team he has built, based on their suggestions.”
Shoaib Akhtar
Akhtar believed that abolishing divisional and departmental cricket did more harm than good for Pakistan cricket. He even revealed an exclusive idea he made to the PCB chief regarding the revamping of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
“India has invested in the Ranji Trophy, players take home a lakh a day and improve their game. We have killed divisional, departmental cricket. The stability that used to come from that is gone. If you centralise everything and keep saying ‘chaudhary mai hi hoon, maine power-sharing nahi karni, toh talent kaha se aayega? (I am the boss and I won’t share power, then where will talent come from?)? I had even sent in a proposal. PSL 2.0 kar le (let’s create PSL 2.0), create 8 new regions, make 7-8 new teams, create a pool of 15,000 players, invest money in domestic. I am talking about PSL 2.0 that starts at a smaller and junior grassroots level, not the PSL that is going on. If you don’t invest there at the junior level, where will the kids emerge? Mohsin sahab (sir) liked my proposal, I hope he implements it.”
Shoaib Akhtar
He even compared the pathways that players take to enter the international scene in India to those in Pakistan. He even explained why he believes Shaeen Shah Afridi lacks accuracy when bowling.
“India, on the other hand, invested in a younger lot in grassroots. All of them have come from the system, making money. They keep the IPL as entertainment. Their players come from a system at the grassroots. If a batter doesn’t make 4000 runs in domestic or bowls 2000 balls a season, they don’t allow them to enter. Me, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis used to bowl 1500-2000 balls per season, including nets. Shaheen Shah Afridi doesn’t have the accuracy because he hasn’t bowled that many balls. What can you expect from him?.”
Shoaib Akhtar
Akhtar concluded his diatribe by encouraging Naqvi to reform the structure by improving the PCB’s selection methods, players, and Pakistani cricket in general.
“So, all these things will continue. Now, there is Mohsin Naqvi, next time koi aur sahab aa jayenge (next time, some other official in authority will come), Najeem Sethi or someone else. Nizaam chalta rahega, hoga kuch nahi (The system will keep running, but nothing will really change) unless you bring in a visionary educated man. Now, Naqvi still has a chance to correct the system. They have the money, opportunity – do it. History will remember that you started this.”
Shoaib Akhtar
