Pakistan cricket in shambles, all-time low: PCB given reality check by ex-cricketer

Pakistan are in deep trouble in their three-match Test series against England, having lost the first two matches to trail 2-0 ahead of the final Test at Edgbaston starting September 9. The second Test at Lord's ended in a 194-run defeat, compounding the pressure on the Pakistan Cricket Board and the team management.

In the aftermath of the Lord's loss, the PCB removed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul from their roles ahead of the third Test. Seven players were also sent home: Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad. White-ball coaches Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke were handed red-ball coaching responsibilities for the Edgbaston Test. Former Pakistan cricketer Atiq-uz-Zaman called out the board for their errors in selections and dismissals of multiple members of the squad. 

“There is no justification for it. The same people who selected them are the ones turning around and deselecting them. That means either you made a mistake in the first place, or you are making a mistake right now. I don't understand why Khurram Shehzad was dropped or why the spinner (Ali Usman) was sent home after taking the most wickets in the Leeds Test. All of a sudden, now T20 bowlers are brought into the Test squad. Why? Because Mike Hesson has his personal favourites, and he brought those players into Test cricket." Zaman said, as quoted by NDTV.

Why did the PCB sack Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul mid-series?

The PCB removed Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul from their coaching positions on September 1, with Pakistan already 2-0 down in the series. No official reason was disclosed by the board for the timing of the decision, which came in the middle of an ongoing Test series rather than at its conclusion. Zaman went further, expressing sympathy for both Sarfaraz and Gul while questioning the logic of the entire process. 

"I didn't support that appointment. But once you make him the coach, you have to back him. Give him a fair chance before you disrespect him and send him home in the middle of a Test series. It is unacceptable. I feel very sorry for Sarfaraz and Umar Gul because I don't think they did anything wrong. If the players on the field can't perform, or if you haven't selected a team capable of performing, what is a coach supposed to do? Let's see what Mike Hesson does now," he said.

He also addressed the conduct of the Pakistan players in the difficult environment they find themselves in, where they have to play for their places in the team instead of being able to play their game freely.

"To be honest, in Pakistan, players are used to this environment from domestic, U16, and U19 cricket. We are raised in a tough system where you rarely get total freedom or backing, and you always feel like you are playing under threat just to survive. My message to them is: enjoy your cricket, believe in your skill set, do what you can with bat and ball, and leave the rest to God." he added.

What needs to change for Pakistan cricket to move forward?

Among the seven players sent home was Imam-ul-Haq, who did not bat in the Lord's Test due to a grade-1 tear in his left calf. His absence from both innings drew public attention, and Zaman was pointed in his criticism of how the situation was handled.

"Look, I won't speculate on the exact severity of his injury, but in our culture, we are raised to be tough. If you have a Grade 1, 2, or even Grade 3 muscle strain, you still step out there and bat for your team. Even if you get out on the first ball, it doesn't matter - the public sees that you showed heart, and they respect you for it. Instead, he made himself look bad by not batting in either innings, and then walking out in front of the media in shorts with bandages on his leg and heavily limping - even if you can't run, you can still hit a ball. Look at Glenn Maxwell scoring a double hundred with severe hamstring cramps, or Chris Woakes coming out to bat with a fractured hand. Look at Saleem Malik playing against West Indies fast bowlers with a broken arm. Imam-ul-Haq should have walked out to bat. Even if he got out immediately, nobody would have questioned his commitment because he was genuinely injured. But limping around in front of the media after taking criticism the day before just looks like a performance. It leaves a bad impression, and I have no sympathy for that behaviour. If you don't have the heart or bravery for international cricket, you shouldn't be playing Test matches. Test cricket isn't just a test of your skills - it's a test of your character," he said.