COMMENT: Artificial stars are destroying Pakistan cricket

THE writing is on the wall. It has been there for quite a while but unfortunately never got due diligence from the quarters concerned.

Pakistan cricket badly needs a genuine upgrade — on a highly urgent basis — otherwise it will go fast into oblivion. Many believe it has already hit rock bottom.

A naive Pakistan eventually lost the semis race in Pallekele. Rather the clueless Green-shirts almost lost the game to the Sri Lankans, who unlike their opponents on that day, refused to give up till the very last ball. Salman Ali Agha and his aimless bowlers were saved by a whisker in the end.

Several cricketing nations, both established and relatively new ones, are developing their game in one way or the other. Afghanistan in white-ball formats is a prime example in this regard

Whereas Pakistan, for reasons best known to our decision makers, remain stubborn and do not want to change or adapt — a dangerous and self-destructive stance in evolving Twenty20 cricket.

Take it retrospectively.

Babar Azam, Pakistan’s so-called ‘leading product’ in international T20 cricket, was axed for the do-or-die Super Eights match against Sri Lanka. In all calculations, it was the right move, better late than never. Pakistan as a result amassed 212-8 courtesy fireworks from Sahibzada Farhan (100 not out) and Fakhar Zaman (84), who was promoted as opener in place of Saim Ayub who was dropped due to a dismal run of form. The 35-year-old Fakhar got only two chances to bat in the ongoing World Cup in which he scored 109 at a staggering strike rate of 188!

The fighting total posted by Pakistan must have opened the eyes of our team management!

Unfortunately, however, the change in plans for Pallekele was half-right. Shaheen Shah Afridi (1-48) and Shadab Khan (0-33 in two overs) messed it up. They were flat, looked like school boys playing cricket and had no idea how to bowl in that crucial game.

Except for Shaheen’s 4-30 in a lost cause against England, both of them had absolutely no credentials coming into this match.

If Shaheen and Shadab, after featuring in as many as 123 and 102 T20 Internationals respectively (before Pallekelle), did not learn and evolve, they will never do so.

Therefore, giving them a chance in a match where Pakistan needed to win by 64 runs or more was a catastrophic move, and the result — and the duo’s unimpressive stats — explicitly proved it.

Shaheen, other than his fine show against England, in this World Cup has remained absolutely toothless and failed to produce anything worthwhile against India, Sri Lanka and even the United States (1-42).

Shadab managed to pick five wickets in six World Cup games that included a 3-19 outing against lowly Namibia side against whom he accumulated 36 not out, his highest score in the event.

If a player is not able to perform — does not even seem to do so — against quality opponents continuously, how in this world was he included in the playing XI, and above all in the squad!

The dilemma is that the likes of Babar, Shaheen and Shadab are experienced pros, and to one’s surprise they are sometimes labelled as ‘stars’, and perhaps that is why they get these many chances and cushion than many other players — who are not included in that ‘star league’ — to get going.

Here one strongly feels, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, who saved Pakistan’s blushes in the event opener against the Netherlands in Colombo, should have been given a chance against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. Perhaps the player does not have that ‘star’ value. Similarly, Salman Mirza also showcased his talent in the World Cup but the left-armer needs more games consistently to polish his skills and fully establish himself as a frontline pacer.

Pakistan had stars — real stars — like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Aaqib Javed, Moin Khan, Rashid Latif, Saeed Anwar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Younis Khan, Saeed Ajmal and many more. On the other hand, the current performers of the national team are ‘made’ to look like stars through lucrative franchise leagues, promotions, sponsorships and media glitz. The involvement of these look-alike stars is sinking Pakistan cricket.

Here one must not forget that a team whose captain — Salman Ali Agha — managed a scanty 60 runs in six matches of the World Cup, standards automatically fall. How can Salman demand with authority an improved show from his players, including the so-called ‘stars’, when his own contribution is found wanting?

The well-established cricketing systems of England, India, New Zealand and South Africa keep producing players of international quality, and that is why they are progressing at the highest level. One can surely include Australia in this elite list as the country — currently struggling only due to injuries to some of their top players — is a mighty sporting power. These countries nurture and bring forward their budding cricketers on the basis of gradual grooming, merit and demands of cut-throat international T20 contests which keep evolving.

Whereas Pakistan has remained stagnant — naively enjoying the artificial stars — for quite a while and is now paying a huge price.

If the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is serious about lifting the standards of the game and compete against higher-ranked opponents at the international level, it will have to formulate a long-term plan to produce genuine stars and get rid of artificial ones.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2026