‘Pakistan cricket is on a ventilator’ – Shoaib Akhtar reveals PCB’s grim assessment after England humiliation

England’s comprehensively dominant performances in the opening two Tests of their three‑match series have forced a sweeping transformation at the Pakistan Cricket Board. The hosts suffered an innings and 103‑run collapse at Headingley, Leeds between August 19‑23, followed by a 194‑run defeat at Lord’s from August 27‑30, which cemented an unassailable 2‑0 series lead for England. These results marked England’s first Test victory outside New Zealand since their tour later in 2024.

The scope of Pakistan’s reaction has been astonishing. Sarfaraz Ahmed resigned as head coach, while Umar Gul departed as assistant coach. Pakistan’s white‑ball architect, Mike Hesson, was promoted to head coach position, and former Australian seamstress Ashley Noffke joined as assistant. Simultaneously, seven squad members—including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam‑ul‑Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Aamir Jamal and Mohammad Awais Jafar—were sidelined.

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar has commented on the situation, noting that he expected such a drastic turn of events. According to a senior PCB official, the council regards the national franchise as functionally non‑viable and intends to retire the current roster in favour of younger, deeper players focused on long‑term prospects.

“The PCB itself was deeply disappointed by these individuals and does not anticipate any return from this team. The plan is to discard the existing squad and replace it with younger, more adaptable talent. Players who merely wish to represent Pakistan are aligning with the future and are taking decisive steps toward growth,” Akhtar said, as reported by the Indian Express.

“In this transitional phase, my priority remains safeguarding the careers of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf. Both possess considerable arc left. The expectations placed on the next generation are high, and we are methodically preparing them for the forthcoming stage,” he added.

Akhtar also explained that he attended the second Test in Lahore and toured the National Cricket Academy, where he observed notable investment in infrastructure improvements.

“After approximately 26 years, significant upgrades are underway at the academy,” Akhtar clarified.

When queried about apparent organizational discord within the side, Akhtar responded bluntly. “What is the surprise? It was an inevitability,” he remarked.

“If Pakistan failed to mount meaningful opposition, the explanation is simple: we simply lacked the required fighting spirit,” Akhtar concluded.

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