Cricket
Exclusive: What's Wrong with Pakistan cricket? Shoaib Mohammad spells out
The veteran Pakistan batsman feels lack of good pitches and coaches in domestic cricket has affected the supply line. He backed the decision to rest Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah.
Former Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Mohammad//Getty Images
Pakistan used to be a strong force in world cricket with superstars. The downward spiral began with the ODI World Cup 2023, where they exited from the group stage. They lost to the USA and failed to qualify for the Super Eight in the T20 World Cup this year.
Besides, a Test series loss to Bangladesh, conceding 800-odd runs, and losing against England in the Multan Test hurt their reputation at home.
Shan Masood and Co. have been limping in the World Test Championship cycle, with only two wins in eight outings and a PCT of 16.67. What went wrong with Pakistan cricket? There is instability and chaos within the Pakistan Cricket Board, along with a shortage of quality players in the pipeline.
Lack of technical players, poor pitches
Former Pakistan batsman Shoaib Mohammad, who played 45 Tests and 63 ODIs, feels the quality of domestic cricket needs to improve, and experienced coaches should train the youngest age group to produce technically sound players. "The umpiring is poor domestically. The pitch conditions are pathetic on most of the grounds. So many matches are being played but there is a lack of ground facilities around Pakistan.
“Technical players are limited in Pakistan. India has a lot more potential when it comes to producing technical players. If the ball is swinging or spinning, they can make a match out of it. Here, nobody has a clue how to go about it and play technically,” he told SportsBoom.com.
Mohammad, the son of legendary batsman Hanif Mohammad, added that Bangladesh and English cricketers have been superior in their respective tours. "Other countries have elevated their cricket to higher levels. Pakistan has declined to great lengths which helped teams like Bangladesh and Afghanistan."
Having learned from the best, he feels there could be better coaching.
There are 200-odd coaches in Pakistan. Most of them have not played top-class cricket, have not been part of the Pakistan Test side, or may have played one or two Tests. They may have played a few first-class games. And they are coaching the young cricketers.
Shoaib Mohammad
When these boys become part of the U-19, they will not have seen the deep end of the sea. You can't feel the pressure or upthrust of international cricket when you don't practice in a certain manner. If you take things easy in the formative years, you may fall into the hardest times of your life at international cricket," he reasoned.
Art of batting longer missing
Mohammad, who has two unbeaten double-hundreds, said players have no patience to bat the opposition out. He referred to debutant Kamran Ghulam's dance down the track against off-spinner Shoaib Bashir which led to his dismissal after a fine hundred.
There were seven or eight overs left. There was no need to be flamboyant. The art of batting needs learning. The boys should know how to bat longer. They don't have the patience or concentration. Ghulam should have carried his bat. The players need to see the scoreboard while batting,
Shoaib Mohammad
The 63-year-old backed the decision to rest Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah. "Once this sort of action is taken you get a pinch. It suddenly opens your eyes. It is better for these players as it will help them return stronger. It is a shake. This will make them realise a few things and return to their original form. You cannot be greater than the game. The media hype may give you stiff collars, and your mental attitude may go up but with every dawn, it is a new day. Past performances are things of the past," said the veteran from one of the respected cricketing families in Pakistan.
Pakistan beat England in the second and third Tests to win the series 2-1, but that did not hide the undercurrents in the board. Former South Africa cricketer Gary Kirsten, who coached India to the ODI World Cup victory in 2011, quit as white-ball coach of Pakistan after falling out with the PCB. The board also omitted Fakhar Zaman from the central contract.
Mohammad called for better administration and advised the Pakistan players not to be complacent as England did not play to its potential in the final two Tests. "Pakistan would have returned to win a Test match sooner or later, but the other team had to perform lower to their standards to hand them victory. Usually, they don't make a match out themselves," he concluded.
Wriddhaayan Bhattacharyya is a cricket journalist based in India who takes a keen interest in stories that unfold on and off the field. His expertise lies in news writing, features and profiles, interviews, stats, and numbers-driven stories. He has also worked as a podcaster and talk show host on cricket-related shows on YouTube and Spotify.