The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been forced into some serious introspection after yet another disappointing year across formats, with concerns mounting over the national teams’ consistent decline.
At a recent Board of Governors (BoG) meeting, members voiced frustration at the trajectory of the men’s, women’s and Shaheens sides. Reports presented by key PCB departments—from International Cricket to High Performance and Women’s Cricket—painted a picture of inconsistency and missed opportunities, with officials pointing fingers at one root cause: instability at the top of PCB’s administration.
In less than three years, PCB has had four chairmen and the cricket team has been a revolving door of captains, coaches, and selectors. From Ramiz Raja to Najam Sethi, Zaka Ashraf, and now Mohsin Naqvi, every new regime has brought wholesale changes. The result, as one insider put it, has been “confusion rather than continuity.” Naqvi, who attended the meeting briefly, was urged to put an end to the chopping and changing that has left teams unsettled.
The International Cricket department also admitted that decisions made in 2021—such as restricting Test series to just two matches—have backfired. To correct course, PCB has decided that Pakistan will return to full three-match series in all formats from the 2027 ICC cycle, despite the financial strain such tours may carry. Officials argued the move is vital to sharpen players in high-pressure environments.
PCB’s plans for Pakistan Shaheens are to make them play regularly against stronger opposition, often in tandem with the senior side, to develop the younger talent. The High Performance Centre also stressed the importance of long-term appointments for captains, selectors, and coaches, noting that constant upheaval has only deepened the slump.
Pakistan cricket’s decline has been evident for the fans and the stakeholders are beginning to take notice.
The PCB finds itself at a crossroads once more and unless stability is restored and structures strengthened, Pakistan cricket risks continuing down a path of short-lived fixes and long-term disappointment.