THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
Pakistani cricket fans deserve honesty. Instead, they’re being fed lies by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and his administration. The recall of Babar Azam from the Big Bash League isn’t about national duty or preparation. It’s a desperate attempt to save one player’s reputation from complete embarrassment.
The Lies Don’t Add Up
The PCB claims Babar was recalled for a “training camp” ahead of international fixtures. This is nonsense, and here’s why:
1.Where is this training camp?
Seven Pakistani players are currently playing in Bangladesh’s domestic T20 tournament. If there was a real training camp, wouldn’t they be called back too? But no, they continue playing while only Babar gets the special recall.
2.Remember the Sri Lanka series?
Just weeks ago, Pakistan played T20Is against Sri Lanka from January 7-11. Babar Azam was given permission to skip those actual international matches to play in the BBL. The PCB let him miss real games for his national team. But now suddenly there’s an urgent “training camp” he must attend? How does that make any sense?
3.No camp exists.
Search anywhere. Check any cricket news. There’s no training camp scheduled. Pakistan’s next series against Australia starts January 30.
The truth is simple: there is no training camp. This is a lie to cover up an embarrassing situation.
The Real Reason: Babar’s BBL Disaster
Let’s examine what really happened in Australia. Babar Azam’s BBL stint was a complete failure:
– 202 runs in 10 matches
– Average of just 25.26
– Strike rate of 104.26 (painfully slow for T20 cricket)
– Zero match-winning performances
(Googled on 22/1/2026)
It got so bad that Mark Waugh, the Australian legend and cricket commentator, publicly said he would drop Babar from the Sydney Sixers team. Think about that. A foreign player getting dropped mid-tournament because he’s not performing. That’s humiliation on an international stage.
Then came the Steve Smith incident. During a match, Smith refused to take a single and give Babar the strike because Babar was batting too slowly. Smith wanted to keep batting himself rather than trust Babar. Pakistani media went crazy. They saw it as an insult to their star player. The pressure mounted for Babar to be recalled before things got worse.
The Pattern of Protection
This isn’t the first time Mohsin Naqvi and the PCB have protected Babar Azam from accountability:
1.The captaincy flip-flop:
Babar was removed as captain, then brought back, then removed again. Each time with different excuses. The PCB couldn’t make a decision and stick to it because they feared backlash from Babar’s fanbase.
2.The Bangladesh World Cup drama: Just yesterday, Mohsin Naqvi was encouraging Bangladesh to boycott the T20 World Cup over security concerns. He sent emails to all ICC boards asking for support. He put Pakistan’s World Cup preparations on hold. The vote at the ICC meeting was 14-1 against Pakistan’s position. Every single cricket board except Pakistan thought this was a bad idea.
When Naqvi realized Pakistan was completely isolated, he suddenly changed his tune. PCB sources called the boycott talk “baseless.” The same PCB chairman who was orchestrating the protest now pretends it never happened. This shows how Naqvi operates: make bold moves, then deny everything when they fail.
The timing is suspicious. The World Cup boycott drama collapses, and immediately Babar gets recalled from the BBL? It looks like Naqvi needed to change the subject and simultaneously rescue Babar from further embarrassment.
Why This Matters
Some people might say, “So what? Why does it matter if they recall one player?”
It matters because Pakistani cricket fans are being treated like fools. The PCB thinks it can lie to the public and nobody will notice. They think fans won’t connect the dots.
1.It matters because it shows favoritism.
Other players have been dropped, criticized, and held accountable for poor performances. But Babar Azam gets special treatment. When he fails, the PCB creates fake training camps to bring him home before he faces consequences.
2.It matters because it hurts Pakistan cricket.
When you protect players from accountability, they don’t improve. Babar Azam is a talented batsman, but his T20 strike rate has been a problem for years. Instead of forcing him to adapt and improve, the PCB shields him from criticism. How will he ever get better if he’s never held responsible?
3.It matters because it wastes opportunities.
The BBL was a chance for Babar to learn, to face quality bowling in Australian conditions, to develop his power-hitting. Instead, he struggled, and rather than letting him work through it or face the consequences, the PCB pulled him out early. What message does that send to young Pakistani cricketers? That if you’re connected enough, you’ll be rescued from failure?
The Insult to Fans
Pakistani cricket fans are passionate and knowledgeable. They watch every match. They know the statistics. They see what’s happening.
When Mohsin Naqvi and the PCB create a story about a training camp that doesn’t exist, they’re insulting the intelligence of millions of fans. They’re betting that fans are too stupid to notice the contradictions.
Fans noticed that Babar skipped the Sri Lanka series for the BBL. Fans noticed that other players are still in Bangladesh. Fans noticed the timing of this recall right after Mark Waugh’s comments. Fans noticed there’s no actual training camp scheduled.
The PCB thinks fans will just accept the official explanation and move on. That’s disrespectful.
What Should Have Happened
Here’s what honest leadership looks like:
If Babar was struggling in the BBL, let him finish his commitment. He signed a contract with the Sydney Sixers. Honor it. If he gets dropped from the team, that’s the consequence of poor performance. That’s professional sports. Learn from it and come back stronger.
If Pakistan genuinely needed him for preparation, they should have called back all players from all leagues. Not just the one player facing criticism.
If there was really a training camp, announce it publicly. Give dates, venues, and the full squad list. Don’t create mystery around something that should be straightforward.
Instead, the PCB chose deception. They made up a story, hoping nobody would question it. That’s not leadership. That’s cowardice.
The Real Cost
The biggest cost of this deception isn’t to Babar Azam’s reputation. It’s to Pakistani cricket’s credibility.
Every time the PCB lies, it damages trust. Fans start to doubt everything the board says. Sponsors wonder if they’re investing in a professional organization or a personal protection service for favored players. Young cricketers learn that politics matters more than performance.
Mohsin Naqvi is PCB chairman, but he’s acting like Babar Azam’s personal manager. His job is to develop Pakistan cricket, not to protect one player’s brand value and commercial endorsements.
Conclusion
Pakistani cricket fans deserve better. They deserve honesty about player selections, transparency about training schedules, and fair treatment of all players regardless of their star power.
Babar Azam is a good cricketer who has served Pakistan well. But he’s not bigger than the team, and he’s not above accountability. When he performs poorly, he should face the same consequences as any other player.
The fake training camp story is an insult to everyone who loves Pakistan cricket. Mohsin Naqvi and the PCB need to stop treating fans like fools. Tell the truth. Hold players accountable. Build a system based on merit, not favoritism.
Until that happens, Pakistani cricket will continue to be held back by the same old problems: weak leadership, political interference, and special treatment for connected players.
The fans see through it. It’s time the PCB stopped pretending otherwise.
References
1.https://zeenews.india.com/cricket/why-babar-azam-left-bbl-2026-poor-form-disciplinary-action-or-forced-recall-what-really-happened-3009400.html
2.https://www.espn.com/cricket/story/_/id/47680357/icc-replace-bangladesh-t20-world-cup-travel-india
3.https://zeenews.india.com/cricket/breaking-icc-board-votes-to-replace-bangladesh-if-india-travel-refusal-persists-know-details-3009208.html
4.https://www.socialnews.xyz/2026/01/19/pakistan-halts-teams-t20-world-cup-preparations-in-support-of-bangladesh/
5.https://sundayguardianlive.com/sports/pakistan-may-reconsider-t20-world-cup-2026-participation-amid-india-bangladesh-standoff-165259/
6.https://zeenews.india.com/cricket/baffling-twist-in-t20-world-cup-2026-saga-mohsin-naqvi-s-pakistan-backs-bangladesh-offers-to-host-games-in-pakistan-itself-3009147.html
7.https://www.youtube.com/live/FJMbdoAiiWo?si=EgFKI91up4ny2Mfe
