{
  "id": 5916471,
  "title": "Pakistan cricket report card: The good, the bad and the ugly",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/pakistan-cricket-report-card-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-06T05:34:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/cricket/2026/09/06/pakistan-cricket-report-card-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Pakistan cricket has experienced a significant decline in recent times, marked by a series of defeats against top teams. This downward spiral reached unprecedented levels following two heavy losses in the second Test against England at Lord's. In response, Pakistan's team management removed seven players and the head coach, a drastic move that has left fans and experts questioning the decision.\n\nThe decision to replace the head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed with Mike Hesson, a white-ball coach, and remove multiple players has been widely criticized. Former Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur expressed his disappointment, stating that the constant changes in players, coaches, and selectors have led to a lack of stability within the team. This abrupt change in leadership and personnel has raised concerns about the team's direction and performance in upcoming matches.\n\nHowever, not all aspects of Pakistan cricket are dismal. The team has shown improvements in white-ball cricket, particularly in T20s. They reached the final of the 2025 Asia Cup and narrowly missed victory against India in the title match. In the last two seasons, their T20 record stands at 31 wins and 22 losses. Additionally, they secured a 3-0 T20 series sweep against Australia, marking their biggest defeat in T20Is. Pakistan also managed to reach the Super Eight stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup, losing only two games throughout the tournament. In ODIs, they have a record of 17 wins and 15 defeats in 32 matches since 2024, although they failed to make an impact during the 2023 Champions Trophy.\n\nIndividual performances have also contributed positively to Pakistan's cricketing efforts. Players like Abrar Ahmed, ranked second in ICC rankings for both ODIs and T20s, and Sahibzada Farhan, ranked second in T20 batting, have shown promise. Despite these individual successes, the overall stability of the team remains a concern, with players and management facing uncertainties about job security, which is detrimental to long-term results. The situation in Test cricket is particularly concerning, with Pakistan losing 15 out of their last 20 Test matches and failing to qualify for the knockout stage of recent ODI and T20 World Cups.",
  "summary": "Pakistan cricket has gone into complete meltdown following yet another chastening defeat against a top team. Upheaval in Pakistan cricket is not a new phenomenon and most fans have become accustomed to dramatic developments from the South Asian giants. However, what happened in the aftermath of the second Test against England at Lord's was unprecedented even by Pakistan cricket 's mercurial…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": "Pakistan cricket's overhaul of its team and coaching staff signals a renewed pursuit of stability, but recent turmoil and inconsistent performance suggest a long road to regaining credibility.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Pakistan cricket report card: The good, the bad and the ugly",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/pakistan-cricket-report-card-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-5918796",
        "published": "2026-09-06T05:34:05.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}