Najam Sethi, former PCB chairman, has criticized ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan for the decline of Pakistan cricket, asserting that the national team has hit “rock bottom.” He pointed out the team’s fall from being a top contender to being compared to Zimbabwe, citing poor performances in the Champions Trophy. Sethi believes the downfall began in 2019 with a disruption to the successful domestic cricket structure under Khan’s management, leading to political interference and poor decision-making within the PCB. He opined that restoring cricket’s fortunes requires acknowledging these issues and implementing professionalism and integrity in management.
Former PCB chairman Najam Sethi has subtly pointed fingers at ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan for the decline of cricket in Pakistan. In a post on X, Sethi, who served as PCB chairman from December 2022 to June 2023, expressed that the public is rightly upset with the national team’s performance. As hosts of the Champions Trophy, Pakistan has been eliminated from the tournament after consecutive defeats.
“The cricket community claims Pakistan has reached its lowest point. How is it that a cricket team that once held the top spot in T20s (2018), Tests (2016), and ODIs (1990 and 1996), and triumphed in the World Cup in 1992 and Champions Trophy in 2017, is now compared to Zimbabwe?” Sethi believes that the decline began in 2019 when a new administration under a different PM/Patron (at that time, Imran Khan was the prime minister and appointed Ehsan Mani as PCB chairman) altered the domestic cricket framework that had worked fairly well for many years, replacing it with an unsuitable Australian hybrid model.
“Political meddling persisted; inconsistent PCB policies became widespread—foreign coaches were brought in and then dismissed, selectors were chosen on whims, and former players were rehired to mentor and lead.
“Ultimately, player influence, captain egos, and factions within the team overshadowed inept management! The dire outcome is evident,” wrote Sethi.
The nation is rightly furious. The cricket community says Pakistan has hit rock bottom. How is it that a cricket team that was once #1 in T20s (2018), Tests (2016), and ODIs (1990 and 1996), and won the World Cup in 1992 and the Champions Trophy in 2017, is now compared to Zimbabwe?
The downfall…
— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) February 25, 2025
Sethi asserted that Pakistan can surely revive its cricketing success if all parties involved acknowledge the issues at hand and apply the integrity, experience, knowledge, and professionalism needed to tackle them.
Following Imran’s ascent to the premiership, Sethi stepped down from the PCB.
This opened the door for Ehsan Mani, a former ICC president, to take over.
In 2019, the PCB, under Imran’s directive, overhauled the domestic cricket framework, abolishing the long-standing system of 16-18 departmental and regional association teams competing in domestic tournaments, and introduced a six-team first-class structure.
Later, in 2021, Imran appointed Ramiz Raja as chairman when Mani declined to extend his contract. Ramiz was subsequently replaced by Sethi in December 2022 after the fall of Imran Khan’s government.
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