Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has expressed concern over the lack of depth in the national team, highlighting the absence of a robust feeder system to replace underperforming players.
Naqvi’s comments come after Pakistan’s historic Test defeat to Bangladesh, a result that has raised questions about the team’s overall strength. He acknowledged that the selection committee faces a shortage of viable options to replace struggling players.
“The problem is the selection committee has no pool to turn to from which to select players,” Naqvi said. “We need to fix our problems, but we don’t have any solid data or player pool to draw from.”
Naqvi believes that the newly created Champions Cup, a domestic one-day tournament, will provide a platform to identify and develop talented players. He emphasized the importance of data and records in making informed selection decisions.
“This Cup will make domestic cricket strong, we’ll have a pool of 150 players, and then the selection committee will do the necessary surgery,” Naqvi said. “We can’t dump someone unless we have a better one to replace them.”
Naqvi also defended the selection committee’s decision not to play a frontline spinner in the Rawalpindi Test against Bangladesh, stating that it was a tactical choice made by the captain, coach, and team management.
However, Naqvi acknowledged the need for systemic improvements in the domestic structure, which has been plagued by neglect and frequent changes. He emphasized the importance of developing a sustainable pipeline of talented players to ensure the long-term success of the national team.
