Former captain and legendary all-rounder Shahid Afridi criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the national men’s cricket team following their tragic ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.
Afridi, while talking the media during a private event here, compared the recent status of Pakistan cricket to an analytically ill patient and called poor decision-making as a primary reason behind their defects.
“All the time we chat about arrangements, and when an event comes and we dead duck, then we talk about surgery. Fact is, Pakistan cricket is in ICU because of improper decisions,” Afridi said. Progress: 0%
Afridi also asked the return of all-rounder Shadab Khan to the squad for the upcoming away T20I series against New Zealand.
Shadab, who last played a T20I during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup last year, not only repaid to the mix but was also named deputy of stand-in T20I captain Salman Ali Agha.
“On what basis has he been recalled? What are his concerts in domestic cricket or otherwise that he had been picked again?” Afridi asked.
The previous captain also appealed that Pakistan cricket suffers from consistency in the board’s policies and decisions, including the appointment of captains and coaches as well as team selection.
“There is no stability, reliability in the board’s decisions and policies. We keep changing captains, coaches, or some players, but in the end, what is the answerability for Board officials?” he said.
For the unexperienced, hosts Pakistan, who were also the protecting champions, could not win a single match at the recently concluded Champions Trophy 2025 as they lost their first two matches against New Zealand and India, individually, while their last group-stage fixture against Bangladesh was washed out without a ball bowled.
