Rashid Latif Criticizes Pakistan’s Cricket Decline and Calls for Immediate Reforms
Islamabad:Pakistan’s former cricketer and national team coach, Rashid Latif, has sharply criticized the state of Pakistan cricket following the team’s defeat to India. Latif stated that Pakistan’s cricket had not reached its current state of decline without the involvement of the government, PCB chairmen, and former legends.
In a post on the social media platform X, Latif expressed his concerns, mentioning that figures such as Najam Sethi, Ehsan Mani, Zaka Ashraf, and Mohsin Naqvi have all used their political influence to manipulate cricket decisions. He pointed out that as soon as these individuals took charge, they surrounded themselves with former legends and handed over control of the game, marking the beginning of the downfall of Pakistani cricket.
Latif also criticized the franchise cricket system, stating that those running the Pakistan Super League (PSL) were not professional. He remarked that players were more focused on earning money, whether it came from commentary, TV expert roles, or coaching and mentoring positions.
He also addressed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), accusing them of attempting to salvage their reputation by placing their own players on various media channels to cover up their failures. According to Latif, the PCB’s focus shifted to business interests rather than the development of cricket in the country.
Latif highlighted the impact of frequent captaincy changes on the team’s performance, claiming that the team was well-formed, but the desire for power led to a damaging tradition. He pointed out how different PCB leaders, such as Najam Sethi, Zaka Ashraf, and Mohsin Naqvi, had repeatedly changed the captaincy, further destabilizing the team.
Latif specifically blamed Ehsan Mani for the downfall of Pakistan’s cricket when he removed Sarfaraz Ahmed from the captaincy. He stated that this decision marked the beginning of the national team’s decline.
In his suggestion for reform, Latif urged the government to stop political appointments in the board and called for changes to the PCB’s constitution. He questioned why the chairman of the PCB has the power to form selection committees and choose captains, considering it to be a fundamental flaw in the system. He stressed that these issues must be corrected immediately, or Pakistan may start losing to teams like Bhutan in the future.
