SAMAJ WEEKLY UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
Pakistan cricket is currently mired in institutional chaos, defined by knee-jerk decisions and structural dysfunction. Following back-to-back Test defeats against England, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) executed an unprecedented mid-series clearout. In a panic, flying seven players home, dismissing red-ball coach Sarfaraz Ahmed, and thrusting white-ball coach Mike Hesson into the Test role.
Yet, instead of addressing the mismanagement at the top, public debate has dissolved into sensationalism.
The Institutional Game of Musical Chairs
Under PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and chief selector Aaqib Javed, long-term strategy has been replaced by short-term panic.
(1) Mid-Tour Evacuations
Releasing nearly half the touring squad and swapping coaching staff mid-series exposes a total lack of planning.
(2) Contradictory Selection
Selectors initially claimed the original squad was chosen strictly on merit, only to purge the same players weeks later under the guise of an emergency “clean-up”.
(3) Systemic Instability
Constant changes in leadership, backroom staff, and player combinations have created a volatile environment where accountability is passed down the chain rather than absorbed by the board leadership.
(4) Selective Scapegoating and the “Indian Agent” Diversion
Rather than holding Naqvi and the selection committee accountable for this administrative collapse, prominent commentators have redirected public frustration toward foreign personnel. Former captain Rashid Latif exemplified this shift by questioning Mike Hesson’s loyalty based on his prior coaching experience in the Indian Premier League (IPL), insinuating that IPL-linked coaches act as “agents”.
Labeling a professional coach an “agent” over past franchise work sets a absurd precedent. It distracts from the core issues: administrative “impulsiveness”, poor team preparation, and a complete absence of institutional governance.
By fixating on “wild conspiracy theories” regarding foreign staff, critics give a free pass to the decision-makers actively driving the national setup into systemic disarray.
Reference
1.https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/mike-hessons-loyalty-as-pakistan-coach-questioned-by-rashid-latif-he-came-from-ipl-thats-how-agents-are-formed-101789027451337.html?hl=en-GB
2.https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/rashid-latif-indian-agent-allegation-mike-hesson-ipl-links/?hl=en-GB
3.https://www.dawn.com/news/2027454?hl=en-
4.https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/pakistan-shake-up-squad-ahead-of-third-test-against-england?hl=en-GB
5.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/news/more-drama-in-pakistan-cricket-mohsin-naqvis-pcb-likely-to-remove-chief-selector-aaqib-javed-in-clean-up-exercise/articleshow/133788251.cms?hl=en-GB
