Wasim Akram Responds as England Legend Criticizes Pakistan Cricket Board for Overlooking Babar Azam

Coaches, captains, players, selectors, and even board chairmen have all changed, yet Pakistan cricket’s long-standing issues persist. Following Pakistan’s defeat in the first Test against England, a new shake-up occurred within the Pakistan Cricket Board’s selection committee. Heading into the second Test, the management made the bold decision to drop key players like Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Naseem Shah. However, former England cricketer Nasser Hussain doesn’t hold these players accountable for the team’s ongoing struggles.

“The problem isn’t Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, or Naseem Shah,” Hussain explained on Sky Cricket. “The real issue lies behind the scenes with how Pakistan cricket is run.”

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In a conversation with Michael Atherton, Hussain emphasized the instability within Pakistan cricket, highlighting that 26 different selectors have been used for the senior men’s team. This constant turnover has affected more than just the selection committee, with frequent changes in leadership roles in recent years.

According to Hussain, no organization—be it a sports team or business—can function successfully with such frequent disruptions. Pakistan’s current crisis is largely self-inflicted, he argued.

“I read somewhere they’ve had 26 selectors; another source said 27. It’s hard to keep track. How many have England had? Maybe two or three. If you’re constantly changing selectors, coaches, and captains, how can you plan for the future? No successful team operates with short-term thinking. When you do, you’re left unprepared and, after losing the first Test, you’re already scrambling for answers,” Hussain elaborated.

He further acknowledged that while Pakistan’s cricket challenges are partly due to the global financial landscape, where the “big three” dominate, the team often makes things harder for itself.

“I sympathize with Pakistan cricket, considering how the financial situation in world cricket has evolved. But at times, they seem to shoot themselves in the foot,” Hussain added.

Pakistan cricket legend Wasim Akram also weighed in, agreeing with the points raised by Hussain and Atherton, noting that their observations were accurate.

As Pakistan prepares to face England in the second Test, they will do so without their star players—Babar, Shaheen, and Naseem—hoping for a turnaround in their fortunes.

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