Last Updated on 17 hours ago by Charbel Coorey
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has defended the decision to make significant changes to the squad during the tour of England. He pointed to India’s T20I series loss to Ireland and South Africa’s T20I loss to Namibia as examples where top teams can be on the wrong end of results, and pointed to Pakistan’s form in white-ball cricketas cause for optimism.
“Let me ask you one thing: South Africa lost to Namibia, and India lost to Ireland. Has cricket ended there as well? Yes, one thing is important: whoever we need here, we will definitely bring in. If someone is not clicking or not performing, then what can we do? Every match and every series is important for us,” Naqvi said in a video, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
Mohsin Naqvi: We will make progress as we did in ODIs and T20Is
Naqvi said that Pakistan have improved in the rankings in white-ball cricket, so not all is doom and gloom.
“We have lost these two matches, but I believe that, God willing, we will make progress in the coming days, just as we did in ODIs and T20Is,” Naqvi said.
“I have never been afraid of criticism, and I never will be. Those who say cricket has been destroyed since I came – look at what the rankings were before we brought our coaching team. We were eighth in ODIs and now we’re fifth, in T20Is we jumped to sixth position from ninth.”
Pakistan have won three of their past four ODI series, but time will tell as to how they perform in next year’s World Cup. They disappointed at this year’s T20 World Cup, failing to qualify for the semi-finals despite playing in spin-friendly conditions in Sri Lanka.
The third and final Test against England begins Wednesday September 8 at Edgbaston. Pakistan have been comprehensively beaten in the opening two matches, and have turned to uncapped players to help achieve a consolation victory.
