Pakistan's cricket downfall started during former PM Imran Khan's tenure: Najam Sethi

NEW DELHI: Former PCB chairman Najam Sethi on Tuesday indirectly held ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan responsible for Pakistan cricket’s downfall.
In a post on X, Sethi, who served as PCB chairman from December 2022 to June 2023, expressed concern over the national team’s dismal performance, particularly after their early exit from the Champions Trophy.
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"The cricket fraternity believes Pakistan has hit rock bottom. How did a team that was once ranked No. 1 in T20s (2018) and Tests (2016), and won the ODI World Cup in 1992 and the Champions Trophy in 2017, fall to the level of Zimbabwe?" Sethi questioned.

According to him, the decline began in 2019 when a new management under a new Prime Minister—Imran Khan at the time—revamped the domestic cricket structure. The traditional system, which had served Pakistan well for decades, was replaced with an Australian-style hybrid model, which Sethi believes was ill-suited to the country’s cricketing needs.
"Political interference persisted, and PCB policies became inconsistent. Foreign coaches were hired and then removed, selectors were appointed arbitrarily, and former players past their prime were brought in as mentors and managers," he stated.
Sethi also highlighted internal issues within the team, pointing out that "player power, captaincy disputes, and group divisions" overshadowed effective management, leading to Pakistan's current struggles.
Despite the crisis, he remains hopeful that Pakistan cricket can recover if the right issues are identified and addressed with integrity, experience, and professionalism.
Sethi had resigned from the PCB soon after Imran Khan became Prime Minister, paving the way for Ehsan Mani’s appointment as chairman.
In 2019, under Imran’s direction, the PCB overhauled the domestic cricket system, replacing the old structure of 16-18 departmental and regional teams with a six-team first-class setup.
Later, in 2021, Imran appointed Ramiz Raja as PCB chairman after Mani declined an extension. However, following Imran’s ousting from government in 2022, Raja was replaced by Sethi.