More drama in Pakistan cricket: PCB to remove chief selector in 'clean-up' exercise

Over the past week, Pakistan cricket has once again experienced turmoil after seven players, including Muhammad Rizwan, head coach Sarfraz Ahmed, and assistant coach Umar Gul were released following their defeat against England in the second Test at Lord’s. Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden, who previously worked as batting coach and mentor for Pakistan, stated that nothing has changed in the Pakistani cricket scene, and players consistently face pressure.

In a recent interview on the Wisden Cricket podcast, Hayden remarked, "I really enjoy and enjoyed my time working with Pakistan. Nothing s changed, though. You know, that is always the trouble. That s not an environment, you know; a pressure cooker is an environment for the middle, not for all the other peripheral things that happen outside. And it s just too difficult an environment to be consistent because this is the formula."

Hayden had previously coached Pakistan ahead of the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup, where the team reached the semi-finals, and as a mentor for the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup, during which they reached the finals. Despite Pakistan's natural talent, Hayden believes that their potential remains unfocused due to continuous chaos and lack of stability.

He acknowledged that Pakistan possesses an abundance of athletic ability but criticized the environment that hinders their ability to focus and achieve success consistently. Hayden firmly believes that only Pakistan is stopping themselves from regaining their world-beating status by not allowing the players to play freely and with trust.