Hafeez slams Naqvi over cricket decline

He says the PCB Chairman's repeated mistakes show he is unfit to lead cricket affairs

Former Pakistan cricket captain Mohammad Hafeez on Friday questioned the performance of PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, stating that Naqvi is not suitable for cricket administration.

Speaking on a YouTube channel, Hafeez sharply criticised Naqvi's tenure as PCB chairman, saying that several of his wrong decisions have caused significant damage to Pakistan cricket and that these mistakes have been repeated multiple times.

"I don't know what Mohsin Naqvi is good at, but I am certain he is not effective in cricket administration. As PCB chairman, he hasn't contributed anything meaningful to the country's cricket.

"During his tenure, five captains were changed, and the entire coaching staff was replaced. One mistake followed another and every time a previous mistake was to be corrected, another wrong decision was made. This proves that Naqvi is not capable of leading cricket affairs," Hafeez said.

He added that the decline of Pakistan cricket is largely due to the chairman's decisions and noted that the team still lacks direction.

"The biggest problem is that Pakistan cricket has no clear path forward. When management changes, the mindset changes; when the captain changes, the execution of skills changes entirely," he said.

Hafeez also criticised PCB's repeated emphasis on 'rebuilding,' saying the process has yet to show results.

"Since I joined the team in 2003, I have heard the term rebuilding and it is still being used. Yet the team hasn't been rebuilt.

"There is no rebuilding process at the international level, you have to perform. Those working behind the scenes should evaluate the players and their standing properly," he concluded.

He heavily criticised the performances of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, stating that Salman Ali Agha is a more deserving key player for the national team.

Hafeez clarified that key players are those who win matches and in recent years, both Rizwan and Babar have failed to deliver match-winning performances.

"Calling them key players would be wrong and unfair. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are not Pakistan cricket's key players at the moment. Key players are those who win matches for Pakistan.

"If we look at the past year and a half to two years, the players showing consistent performance are Salman Ali Agha, Saeem Ayub and Hasan Nawaz. Why aren't we talking about them? They are the current players winning matches for Pakistan," he said.

Hafeez also questioned Babar and Rizwan's place in the team, saying they need to justify their spots as players.

"I think Babar and Rizwan need to be concerned about their positions in the team. They need to prove themselves as good players first; key players come later. Both were good in the past, but now they are not delivering results," he remarked.

He advised both to regain form and criticised the performances of Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi as well.

"Both need to be fully involved in the game, otherwise results won't come. The same goes for Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, they are also not giving match winning performances for Pakistan," he added.

Hafeez emphasised that Pakistan cricket does not need big names but players who can perform consistently for the next decade.

"We should focus on players who can contribute for the next 10–15 years. Our media criticises one or two players and hypes one or two others, which is wrong. We need to talk about those who are actually performing," he noted.

He further criticised players for failing Pakistan cricket on the field while having strong PR campaigns on social media. Hafeez urged the PCB to take action.

"If we want to improve Pakistan cricket, those in the AC rooms and those executing plans on the ground must address these issues promptly," he concluded.