Being a fan of Pakistan cricket has become a test of patience these days. In the last 19 Test matches the national side has been beaten 14 times, a run of defeats that has left supporters feeling disheartened and frustrated.
The most recent blow came in the opening Test of the England series at Headingley, where Pakistan were crushed by an innings and 103 runs. England’s bowlers were relentless, their batting was solid and even their fielding, often a weak point for the visitors, was sharp and efficient – a combination that left the Pakistani team looking out of depth.
The second Test is set to begin at Lord’s on Thursday, with live coverage on Sky Sports Cricket starting at 10 a.m. (first ball at 11 a.m.). Ahead of the match, senior Cricinfo editor and recognised Pakistan cricket analyst Osman Samiuddin joined former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast to dissect the problems that have beset the Pakistani side and to explain why many fans now feel that the sport in the country is sounding an alarm bell. Samiuddin opened the discussion by pointing out the chronic instability of Pakistan’s domestic structure.
For half a century there has been an ongoing debate over whether the game should be organised around departmental teams – teams backed by corporations or government bodies – or regional sides that represent provinces or cities. He argued that the constant back‑and‑forth has done more harm than good. "Whatever system you finally choose, stick with it for a decade or more," he said.
"Since the first first‑class season in 1953 the format has been tweaked almost every year. There is no continuity, and that undermines the development pipeline." The most recent overhaul came in the 2019‑20 season when the number of first‑class teams was slashed from 16 to six, only to be expanded again a few seasons later to 16 teams across four first‑class tournaments and three limited‑overs competitions.
Samiuddin warned that the 2019 reduction wiped out roughly half of the country’s first‑class talent pool. He recounted stories of professional cricketers who, overnight, found themselves without a contract and were forced to take up jobs such as taxi driving to make ends meet. "When you cut the domestic base in half, you lose the depth that feeds the national side," he explained.
The fallout is evident in the quality of the domestic game. Previously, first‑class matches were spread across 16 different venues, giving players exposure to a variety of pitches and conditions.
In recent years, however, most games are played on just four or five grounds. This limited variety makes it difficult for emerging batsmen like Abdullah Shafique and Imam‑ul‑Haq to learn how to adapt their technique to different surfaces – a skill that is essential for success at the highest level. Samiuddin also highlighted the scarcity of Test cricket for Pakistan.
The team has not played a double‑digit number of Tests in a calendar year since 2017. By contrast, only Sri Lanka (four Tests), Ireland (three) and Afghanistan (two) have scheduled fewer than five matches in 2025.
Pakistan is slated to play nine Tests in 2026, but the lack of regular, high‑quality opposition over the past few years has hampered player growth and eroded confidence. Turning to governance, Samiuddin described the administrative chaos that has plagued the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) since 2021. Four chairmen – Ramiz Raja, Najam Sethi, Zaka Ashraf and the current incumbent Mohsin Naqvi – have each brought different visions and varying levels of commitment. Naqvi, who also serves as the country’s interior minister, is often pre‑occupied with political duties, leaving many to wonder how much attention he can devote to cricket.
"When the chairman’s day job is running a ministry, it’s hard to imagine he can give the sport the focus it needs," Samiuddin noted. The impact of this administrative turnover is visible in the way promising talents are handled.
Players such as Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, Abdullah Shafique and Naseem Shah have all shown flashes of brilliance, yet many have struggled to maintain consistency. Samiuddin argued that the root cause is poor player management by the PCB. Injuries have not been handled properly, and basic development programs are lacking.
For instance, Shaheen has featured in only nine of the 27 Tests he could have played since returning from a knee injury, while Naseem has not played a Test since December 2024. Both bowlers have suffered from erratic rehabilitation processes and have been shuffled between coaches without a clear long‑term plan. Fast bowlers, in particular, need regular first‑class action to build stamina and refine their skills.
Yet Shaheen has played scarcely any domestic matches in the past three years, and Naseem’s opportunities have been equally limited. The constant changes in coaching staff – not knowing who the head coach or bowling coach is at any given time – have created an environment of uncertainty that hampers performance. Samiuddin warned that the waste of talent in Pakistan has accelerated in the last five to six years.
While some degree of attrition is inevitable in any sport, the current rate is unsustainable. He cited instances where key players like Shaheen and Naseem were dropped from the Test squad without clear explanation, a practice that “messes with a player’s career” and erodes morale. The atmosphere at Headingley also reflected the dwindling enthusiasm among the Pakistani diaspora.
The stands were noticeably empty, and Samiuddin observed that patience with the PCB’s governance is wearing thin. He recounted hearing from fans who are not angry at the team’s results per se, but are exasperated by the way cricket is being administered. "People will still travel to Lord’s to watch the team, but the numbers are falling," he said.
"We are at a point where, if this continues, cricket in Pakistan could suffer the same fate as hockey – a sport that once dominated the nation but now struggles for relevance. The West Indies face a similar decline, and we risk heading down that path as well." In summary, the challenges confronting Pakistan cricket are multifaceted: an ever‑shifting domestic structure that deprives players of stable development pathways; insufficient Test exposure that limits experience; a revolving door of administrators who cannot provide consistent leadership; and a talent‑management system that fails to nurture and protect its brightest stars.
Unless the PCB commits to a long‑term, coherent strategy – selecting a domestic model and sticking with it for at least a decade, investing in player welfare, and ensuring that the chairman can dedicate his full attention to the sport – the alarm bells will continue to ring and the future of Pakistan cricket will remain uncertain.