‘Amazing how someone managed to destroy the entire system’: Usama Mir

Pakistan’s cricket team has faced a series of poor performances, losing the first two Tests of the ongoing tour, with only one game remaining. In response, the Pakistani authority decided to remove the coaching staff and drop seven players for the final Test match. This radical move did not sit well with former players and pundits, with young spinner Usama Mir expressing his disappointment on social media.

Mir wrote, "Amazing how someone managed to destroy the entire system, and nobody even noticed." Former batting legend Mohammad Yousuf also criticized the decision, stating that it was not solely performance-related and reflected the ongoing internal chaos and controversies that have plagued Pakistan cricket. PCB’s director of high performance and a member of the selection committee, Aaqib Javed, defended the overhaul, emphasizing that the team’s inability to compete, rather than the original squad selection, necessitated the changes.

He argued that they had prepared the squad with the coach and captain and were ready to accept responsibility for the final team lineup. Javed also pointed out the need for a fast bowler in the team, citing the lack of a top seven bowlers in Pakistan.