The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is going through renewed criticism over its dealing with of the senior males’s nationwide staff, with former captain Rashid Latif accusing the board of successfully operating the facet by way of “distant management” and questioning why coaches and captains should not being given larger authority.The newest criticism comes after the PCB made an unprecedented mid-series overhaul, sending seven gamers and two coaches again to Pakistan following defeats within the first two Assessments in opposition to England.The sweeping adjustments have added to the uncertainty surrounding Pakistan’s Check set-up, with a number of former gamers and outstanding voices within the recreation questioning the timing and scale of the PCB’s determination.
Rashid Latif questions PCB’s dealing with of coaches
Pakistan had already been beneath appreciable stress after dropping the opening two Assessments in opposition to England. Nonetheless, slightly than retaining the identical group for the rest of the sequence, the PCB opted for a serious reshuffle.Amongst these despatched dwelling have been senior gamers Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha. Check coach Sarfaraz Ahmed was additionally faraway from the set-up, with white-ball coach Mike Hesson taking cost for the third and ultimate Check in Birmingham.Latif has now questioned why Sarfaraz and bowling coach Umar Gul have been despatched to the UK within the first place if the PCB meant to train such a excessive diploma of management over the staff.Taking to X, the previous Pakistan captain additionally referred to the departures of Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, each of whom beforehand stepped down after disagreements over the extent of authority and freedom obtainable to them.Latif additionally introduced captain Babar Azam into the dialogue, suggesting that if the captain was not following the staff’s most popular path, the PCB ought to have eliminated him slightly than sending coaches again dwelling.“If the staff needed to be run by distant management, then why have been Sarfaraz and Umar Gul despatched? Why have been the choice powers taken away from Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie? And if captain Babar Azam wasn’t listening, the captain ought to have been sacked — so why have been Sarfaraz and Umar Gul despatched again as a substitute? Is Babar Azam the following goal?” Latif wrote on X.
PCB faces backlash over seven-player overhaul
The PCB’s determination to make such sweeping adjustments in the midst of a Check sequence has attracted criticism from a number of high-profile figures in Pakistan cricket.Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain, Ramiz Raja, Basit Ali and Shahid Afridi have all questioned the transfer, with the critics arguing that such drastic adjustments may create much more instability inside an already struggling Pakistan facet.The PCB, nonetheless, has defended its determination.Chairman Mohsin Naqvi beforehand backed the overhaul, insisting that the board had taken the tough step as a result of it believed it was needed for the betterment of the staff.
Pakistan’s Check struggles proceed
The dramatic adjustments come in opposition to the backdrop of Pakistan’s extended struggles within the longest format.Pakistan are presently on the backside of the World Check Championship (WTC) standings and have by no means been real contenders for a spot within the WTC ultimate in the course of the present cycle.The newest marketing campaign will even mark the fourth consecutive WTC cycle by which Pakistan end within the backside half of the standings, highlighting the extent of their issues in Check cricket.The defeat in England has solely intensified the scrutiny surrounding the staff’s path and the PCB’s decision-making course of.
One other captaincy change beneath scrutiny
Pakistan’s Check management has additionally undergone one other change this 12 months.Earlier in 2026, the PCB changed Shan Masood with Babar Azam as Check captain after Bangladesh accomplished a 2-0 sequence victory over Pakistan.Babar’s return to the management position initially introduced some stability, with Pakistan drawing their two-Check sequence in opposition to the West Indies.Nonetheless, the staff’s fortunes shortly deteriorated as soon as the facet arrived in England. After dropping the opening two Assessments, the PCB responded with a drastic squad overhaul, sending seven gamers and two members of the teaching employees dwelling.That call has now prompted contemporary questions over who is definitely making the important thing selections inside Pakistan cricket, with Latif’s feedback including one other layer to the rising controversy surrounding the board’s dealing with of the nationwide staff.
