Pakistan cricket crisis explained: What has gone wrong, and can it be fixed?

Pakistan cricket has experienced a significant crisis after a string of devastating losses against top teams. The latest setback came in the second Test against England at Lord’s, where Pakistan suffered a humiliating defeat by 194 runs. In response to this devastating loss, team management made a shocking decision to remove seven players and the head coach.

This unprecedented move included former captains Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha, opener Imam-ul-Haq, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad. The head coach, Sarfaraz Ahmed, appointed in April, was also replaced by Mike Hesson, the white-ball coach. This decision has left many questioning the logic and reasoning behind such drastic changes, especially considering the replacements consist of five uncapped players for a Test match in England.

Former coach Mickey Arthur expressed his disappointment, stating that constant changes in players, coaches, and selectors have led to a lack of stability. Pakistan's performance over the past few seasons has been consistently poor, with a worrying record of 15 losses in their last 20 Test matches and 10 of their last 11 away Tests.

The team has failed to qualify for the knockout stage of the 2023 and 2026 T20 World Cups, and has lost their last five bilateral series against Bangladesh across formats. Despite these struggles, Pakistan's T20 record has been relatively better, with 31 wins and 22 losses in the last two seasons. Individual players, such as spinner Abrar Ahmed, opening batter Sahibzada Farhan, and batsman Babar Azam, have shown flashes of brilliance in both formats.

However, the lack of stability within the team remains a major concern, as job security and consistency are crucial for long-term success.