The consequences of Pakistanit’s disastrous T20 World Cup 2026 The campaign has reached a boiling point, with veteran leadoff hitter Ahmed Shehzad launching harsh criticism of PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and the current board leadership. Following Pakistan’s failure to reach the semi-finals for the second consecutive tournament and a historic 1-2 series loss to BangladeshShehzad maintains that the national team has become a playground for a select group of underperforming stars.
Pakistan’s recent slump hit a new low in Dhaka, where Bangladesh claimed their first home series win against the visitors in 11 years. The tour highlighted systemic failures: a batting collapse for 114 in the opening ODI and a failed 291-run chase in the decider. For Shehzad, these are not just technical errors; They are the symptoms of a toxic star culture fueled by the PCB at the expense of national pride.
Ahmed Shehzad targets Mohsin Naqvi and PCB after Pakistan team collapse
Shehzad’s main complaint lies in the disproportionate power given to a small group of players. He maintains that the PCB has marketed certain individuals as global brands through the Pakistan Super League (PSL) during the last seven years, despite having failed to achieve results on the international stage. According to Shehzad, these 6- to 8-year-olds and their agents have essentially taken over the team’s selection and strategy.
“You provided all the sponsorships to those kids, supported them, and invested money in them. You gave them captaincies in the PSL, didn’t you? You made them the thumb of the Pakistan team. You handed over the entire Pakistan cricket team to those 6 boys and their agents. And what have they done now? The fire they have lit in the jungle, the fun and parties they have had, the pockets they have filled, the enjoyment they have had, they have not given Pakistan any victory by doing so.” commented Shehzad, pointing out the heavy financial investment and sponsorships that went into these specific athletes.
He accused this core group of prioritizing personal gain and “jungle parties“about trophies. The criticism hurts specifically because high-profile names like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohamed Rizwan They continue to struggle with consistency, raising questions about whether the board is too afraid of its superstars to demand accountability.
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Shehzad denounces the failure of the Naqvi regime
The most damning part of Shehzad’s outburst centered on the perceived helplessness of the Naqvi administration. He described the current PCB as the weakest he has ever seen, claiming that the board kneels before the players instead of imposing discipline or introducing new talent. He maintains that this lack of institutional backbone has allowed a culture of blame games and ego to flourish within the locker room.
Despite the mounting losses, Shehzad points out that none of the main players have taken responsibility and have instead chosen to weave narratives through media cycles.
“Whenever you talk about any player, they start telling stories. I have never in my life seen Pakistan cricket board so weak, so weak as this PCB is. They have power, right? But in their decision-making, they seem to kneel before their players. This PCB can’t do anything. The job they were supposed to do (bringing in new faces) they didn’t do. What they do is, after each event, they try to do a new trick, but the audience has now caught on to their pattern.” he added, suggesting that the PCB’s habit of pulling new tricks after every failure in the tournament is no longer fooling the fans. By not integrating new faces and breaking the monopoly of the current core, the board has left Pakistan cricket in a state of stagnation.
As Pakistan prepares for a grueling three-Test series against England starting August 19, the pressure on Mohsin Naqvi to implement major surgery, a term he coined earlier, has never been greater.
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