
Imran Khan Criticizes 'Horrific' Champions Trophy Exit, Compares Pakistan to Zimbabwe
2 months ago | 5 Views
In a pointed critique on social media, Najam Sethi, the former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), attributed the decline of the national cricket team to ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan, particularly highlighting the team's dismal performance that led to an early exit from the Champions Trophy. The host nation and defending champions faced a disheartening defeat after losing their first two matches in Group A last week.
In a post on X, previously known as Twitter, Sethi, who held the position of PCB chief from December 2022 to June 2023, expressed his disbelief that Pakistan, once a world champion in both ODI and T20 formats, is now being likened to Zimbabwe.
“The nation is understandably upset. The cricket community asserts that Pakistan has reached its lowest point. How is it possible that a team that was ranked number one in T20s (2018) and Tests (2016), and won the World Cup in 1992 and the Champions Trophy in 2017, is now compared to Zimbabwe?”
Sethi suggested that the decline began in 2019 when a new PCB management, led by Ehsan Mani under the then Prime Minister Imran Khan, was introduced. He noted that the overhaul of the long-standing domestic cricket structure, along with political interference and inconsistent policies, significantly contributed to the turmoil in Pakistan cricket.
"The decline commenced in 2019 when a new management, under a new Prime Minister/Patron, altered the domestic cricket framework that had served Pakistan effectively for many years, replacing it with an unsuitable Australian hybrid model. Political meddling persisted; contradictory PCB policies became commonplace—foreign coaches were hired and dismissed, selectors were appointed whimsically, and former players were brought back to mentor and manage. Ultimately, player power, conflicts among captains, and factionalism within the team overshadowed ineffective management. The disastrous outcome is evident," he remarked.
The nation is understandably upset. The cricket community asserts that Pakistan has reached its lowest point. How is it possible that a team that was ranked number one in T20s (2018) and Tests (2016), 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
Can Pakistan bounce back?
Sethi is indeed confident in the potential for improvement. He stated, "We can undoubtedly revive our cricketing prospects if we acknowledge the underlying issues and harness the integrity, experience, knowledge, and professionalism necessary to accomplish the task."
Having held the position of PCB chairman on three occasions, Sethi concluded his second term in 2019 when Imran Khan assumed the role of Prime Minister. He was succeeded by Mani, a former president of the ICC, who, along with Sethi, dismantled the previous system of 16-18 departmental and regional association teams participating in domestic cricket competitions. A new six-team first-class structure was established. Subsequently, after Mani declined a contract extension, Ramiz Raja took over in 2021, serving until December 2022, coinciding with the fall of the Imran Khan administration. Sethi then returned for his third term.
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