Loud Thinking

Why Pakistani Cricket Has Hit Rock Bottom – and How to Revive Pakistan’s Sports Fast

Introduction

The Chief Patron of PCB, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and Chairman PCB, Mr. Mohsin Naqvi, must remember that the buck stops at the top. They cannot escape responsibility for the sorry state of Pakistan cricket. Years of mismanagement, policy flip-flops, weak accountability, and short-term fixes have dragged the national game to its lowest ebb. Once a powerhouse that produced legends feared around the world, Pakistan cricket today stands rudderless, inconsistent, and fragile. Unless those at the very top take ownership and drive genuine reforms, the decline will only deepen.

Reasons for the Decline

1. Administrative Instability and Mismanagement

• Frequent changes in PCB leadership disrupt long-term planning.
• Political interference continues to damage decision-making. The board has too often been run by retired or serving government officials rather than professional sports administrators.
• Constant chopping and changing of captains, coaches, and selectors prevents stability and accountability.

       2.   Domestic Cricket Weakness

• Although departmental teams have been restored and are now operational again, the overall domestic structure still suffers from uneven quality and weak long-term planning.
• Poor umpiring standards undermine credibility, frustrate players, and fail to prepare cricketers for international competition.
• Facilities, pitches, and match promotion remain below par, limiting the competitiveness of domestic tournaments.

• Talent Drain and Grassroots Neglect

• The once-rich pipeline of talent is drying up due to lack of structured investment at the school, college, and club level.
• No robust nationwide system exists to consistently scout, groom, and polish young players.
• Junior cricket is not producing enough international-standard players.

     4.  Fitness and Professionalism Issues

• Pakistan continues to lag in fitness standards compared to international benchmarks.
• Poor diets, casual training culture, and lack of data-driven fitness programs lead to inconsistent performances.
• Unlike top-tier teams, Pakistan lacks centralized, year-round fitness monitoring.

      5.  Over-Reliance on PSL

• The PSL has been a commercial success but has also bred overdependence on T20 cricket.
• Players excelling in franchise leagues struggle to adapt to Test and ODI cricket due to limited exposure in longer formats.

      6.  Psychological Fragility

• Mental toughness and temperament remain major weak points.
• The absence of full-time sports psychologists leaves players vulnerable to pressure, especially in crunch games.

7.  Global Isolation Post-2009

• The 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team forced Pakistan to play “home” matches abroad for nearly a decade.
• This robbed the younger generation of home support, affected fan engagement, and disrupted financial and developmental systems.

Fast-Track Revival Strategy

1.  Reform Governance and Ensure Meritocracy

• The PCB must be depoliticized and not run by retired or serving government officials. Instead, it should be managed by professional sports administrators with cricketing knowledge, business acumen and management expertise.
• Stability must be ensured in captaincy, coaching, and selection policies to allow long-term planning.

2.  Strengthen Domestic Structure

• With departmental cricket now revived, the next step is to improve quality and consistency—better pitches, strong umpiring standards, and modern infrastructure.
• Introduce transparent performance-based contracts at the domestic level, which must be monitored with the help of AI.
• Broadcast and promote domestic competitions widely to raise prestige and competitiveness.

 3.  Introduce Strict Accountability for Players

Establish an AI based system of severe penalties for poor performances at both international and domestic levels.

• Heavy deductions from match fees and annual contracts for repeated failures.
• Compulsory participation in domestic tournaments for all players—no exemptions.
• Reward consistent domestic performers with fast-tracked promotion to the national side.

4. Revive Grassroots Competitions

• Urgently revive national-level tournaments for schools, clubs, colleges, and universities, which once produced some of Pakistan’s greatest cricketers.
• Build a structured inter-collegiate, university, clubs and inter-school league system, supported by PCB funding and media coverage.
• Make grassroots tournaments the first stage of national selection to ensure merit rises through the system.

5. Enhance Fitness & Professionalism

• Implement international-standard fitness benchmarks and regular assessments.
• Appoint dedicated fitness trainers, physiotherapists, and nutritionists for all squads.
• Enforce strict fines and suspensions for players failing to meet professional standards taking the help of AI.

 6. Balance Formats and Global Exposure

• While leveraging the PSL, ensure young players get exposure to first-class cricket and overseas leagues.
• Rebuild the culture of Test cricket with strong domestic red-ball tournaments and “A” tours abroad.

7. Mental Strength and Sports Psychology

• Employ sports psychologists to build resilience, focus, and crisis-handling ability.
• Introduce captaincy and leadership training programs to strengthen decision-making under pressure.

8. Leverage Home Advantage and Fan Power

• With international cricket back in Pakistan, schedule frequent home series to rebuild confidence and fan support.
• Pakistan must strongly discourage less than five Test matches domestic series with the emphasis of maximum night cricket Tests, which can be played even in the hot season having the advantage of convenient overseas TV viewership timings. Night Test match cricket will also have much reduced traffic and other related security problems for the general public.
• Upgrade stadiums, improve fan facilities, and use cricket as a unifying national force.

Conclusion

Pakistan’s cricketing decline is not irreversible—but it demands courage and structural reforms. By freeing the PCB from political influence, strengthening domestic cricket with quality umpiring and world class infrastructure, enforcing strict player accountability, reviving grassroots tournaments in schools, clubs, colleges, and universities, and promoting professionalism with strict meritocracy across all levels, Pakistan can once again rise to the top tier of world cricket. The passion of the fans and the raw talent of players remain; what is missing is vision, discipline, and execution. With bold steps, Pakistan cricket can rediscover its glory.

But bold steps require bold leadership. The Prime Minister must consider looking beyond the PCB’s traditional boundaries and seek the assistance of proven leaders who understand modern strategy and innovation. One such figure is Air Chief Marshal (Retd.) Mujahid Anwar Khan, NI (C) NI (M) HI (M) SI (M) TI (M) former Chief of the Pakistan Air Force, who will forever be remembered for establishing CENTAIC (Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Computing). His expertise in deploying Artificial Intelligence for high-stakes, real-time decision-making can be harnessed to revamp the entire decadent sports structure in Pakistan, including cricket. The same strategic discipline, technological innovation, and performance culture that transformed PAF operations can help transform Pakistan’s sporting landscape.

If anyone doubts the power of sports to reshape nations, they should reflect on the timeless wisdom of Nelson Mandela, whose words—slightly adapted to today’s Pakistani reality—ring with even greater urgency:

Quote.

“Sports has the power to change Pakistan…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to UNITE Pakistani people in a way that little else does. It speaks to the Pakistani youth in a language they understand. Sports can create hope for the entire Pakistani nation, where once there was only despair, lawlessness, hunger, unemployment, poverty, drugs, and alarming increase of suicides due to the economic hardships. It is more powerful than government in breaking down the menace of drugs and terrorism which has held back Pakistan attaining its true potential.”

Unquote.

This is not just about cricket—it is about reviving national confidence, bringing discipline, healing a fragmented society, and giving Pakistan’s youth HOPE. The time for cosmetic changes is over. Only a comprehensive, professional, and visionary overhaul can lift Pakistani cricket in particular and other sports in general—and with it, the spirit of the nation—back to where it belongs.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Lahore

+92 321 9402157   nayyarahmad51@gmail.com The writer is a senior corporate leader and strategic analyst. His thought-provoking visionary insights have reshaped global discourse, capturing the attention of world leaders. His writings have not only resonated with heads of state and governments but have also influenced the foreign policies of the United States and other major powers.