Sports Desk
LAHORE: Former Pakistan cricket captain and ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan has criticised Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi following the national team’s crushing 10-wicket loss to Bangladesh in the first Test of their two-match series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Khan expressed his deep disappointment over the team’s recent performances, lamenting the drastic decline in form.
He pointed out the stark contrast between Pakistan’s current struggles and their historic 10-wicket victory over India in the 2021 T20 World Cup, questioning how a team that had reached such heights could now be facing such lows.
In a strongly worded message shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Khan directly blamed the PCB chief for the team’s downfall, accusing him of mismanagement and poor leadership.
He cited Pakistan’s dismal performances in recent international tournaments, including the 2023 Cricket World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup, where the team failed to advance to the top four and top eight, respectively.
“For the first time, we (Pakistan) didn’t make it to the top four in the World Cup or the top eight in T20. And yesterday, we faced an embarrassing defeat against Bangladesh, setting a new low. Just two-and-a-half years ago, this team had defeated India by 10 wickets. What has happened in these two-and-a-half years that we lost to Bangladesh by 10 wickets?” Khan questioned in his post on X.
The defeat has extended Pakistan’s winless streak in home Test matches to nine games, marking a significant low point for the team.
Pakistan’s last victory in a home Test was in February 2021 against South Africa. Since then, they have endured a series of disappointing results, including a series loss to Australia, a whitewash at the hands of England, and a drawn series against New Zealand.
The latest defeat to Bangladesh adds to this string of failures, leaving fans and former players deeply concerned about the future of Pakistan cricket.
