Ahmed Shehzad has voiced strong criticism regarding the state of Pakistan cricket following the team’s early exit from the 2025 Champions Trophy. Despite hosting the prestigious ICC tournament, Pakistan failed to make an impact, crashing out within just a week after suffering consecutive losses. They started with a 60-run defeat to New Zealand before facing a six-wicket loss against India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Their elimination was sealed when New Zealand defeated Bangladesh by five wickets in Rawalpindi, officially knocking Pakistan out of the tournament.
Shehzad, a batter who has represented Pakistan in 13 Tests, 81 ODIs, and 59 T20Is, did not hold back in his assessment of Pakistan cricket’s decline. He attributed the team’s slump in performance to a lack of reforms, a flawed selection system, and growing indiscipline within the squad. While acknowledging the impact of political interference, Shehzad pointed out that the deterioration of Pakistan cricket was not a recent issue but a problem that had been building up for years.
Shehzad Blames Lack of Meritocracy and Discipline for Pakistan’s Fall
In an interview with India Today, Shehzad explained that Pakistan’s downfall was inevitable due to its structural weaknesses. He highlighted how favoritism and a poor selection process had severely affected domestic cricket, preventing deserving players from making it to the national team.
"Political interference has always existed in Pakistan cricket—there’s no doubt about that. But the current condition of the team is not because of the last two years alone. This has been happening for a long time. If you don’t bring reforms, if you don’t reward players based on merit, and if you fail to maintain discipline within the squad, these kinds of results will eventually follow," Shehzad stated.
Pakistan cricket has frequently faced criticism over its selection policies, with allegations of favoritism and inconsistent leadership plaguing the team in recent years. Many experts believe that Pakistan has struggled to develop a sustainable long-term strategy, leading to frequent setbacks in international tournaments.
‘Sad to See Babar Azam in This Condition’
One of the most notable points Shehzad raised was about Babar Azam, Pakistan’s star batter and former captain. While acknowledging Babar’s immense talent, Shehzad suggested that the decision to appoint him as captain was flawed from the start. He argued that Babar was handed leadership responsibilities solely based on his individual batting performances, rather than his leadership abilities.
"It’s really sad to see Babar in this condition. When he started his career, everyone thought he would break all records for Pakistan. But now, everything is in front of you—players don’t struggle for this long. It was a mistake to make a performer the captain. Leadership is a different skill altogether. After becoming captain, he surrounded himself with friends and included them in the team instead of selecting players based on merit. This kind of favoritism hurts domestic cricket because when genuine performers don’t get opportunities, the whole system collapses,” Shehzad remarked.
The debate over Babar Azam’s captaincy has been a heated topic in Pakistan cricket over the past year. Many critics have accused him of favoritism in team selection, and there have been frequent discussions about whether he should step down from leadership to focus entirely on his batting.
Shehzad Calls for Structural Reforms and Honest Leadership
While Shehzad was critical of Pakistan cricket’s current state, he also provided solutions to revive the team’s fortunes. According to him, the only way to rebuild Pakistan cricket is by bringing in the right people—those who genuinely care about the game and have the country’s best interests at heart. He drew comparisons to India’s cricketing system, stating that despite the retirements of legends like MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, and Yuvraj Singh, the Indian team remained strong because it had a well-functioning system in place.
"Pakistan cricket still has time to fix things. The solution is simple: appoint the right people—those who understand the game at a grassroots level and are aware of the real problems. Give opportunities to those who truly deserve them. Look at India—when Dhoni retired, when Sachin retired when Yuvraj retired—did their team stop functioning? No. Teams move on. Players come and go, but you need the right intentions to sustain a strong team. Unfortunately, Pakistan cricket’s structure is broken, and the results we are seeing are a direct consequence of that. This performance was unacceptable, and Pakistan must learn from it,” Shehzad added.
What’s Next for Pakistan?
Pakistan has one remaining match in the 2025 Champions Trophy, where they will face Bangladesh on February 27 in Rawalpindi. However, with their elimination already confirmed, this match is merely a formality. The focus will now shift to what changes the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) makes in response to this disastrous campaign.
There is speculation that major reforms could take place within the team and coaching staff following this setback. With growing pressure from former cricketers, fans, and analysts, Pakistan cricket could be heading toward a period of transition, but whether meaningful change will occur remains to be seen.
