Ahmed Shehzad’s questions focus on infrastructure over performance issues in Pakistan cricket.
Pakistan’s fall in Test rankings to their lowest in over 50 years has triggered criticism of the team and board’s handling. Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed surprise over their whitewash loss to Bangladesh at home.
However, former opener Ahmed Shehzad took a sarcastic dig at the concern over Pakistan’s dip in form. In a YouTube video, he questioned the emphasis on building new stadiums instead of addressing core reasons for poor results.
Without naming any player, Shehzad indicated favoritism and groups have affected team selection and performance. He felt hosting domestic tournaments like the One-Day Cup wouldn’t necessarily produce match-winners.
The batsman pointed to Pakistan’s failure to reach the T20 World Cup Super 8s after defeats to lower-ranked opponents. Shehzad suggested recent disappointing campaigns in multi-nation events and Test series stem from such internal issues.
Shehzad’s comments come at a time of intense scrutiny on captains Babar Azam and Shan Masood for their leadership in white and red-ball cricket respectively. The PCB is also under fire over the national team’s inconsistent run.
Many experts concur structural and accountability challenges need resolution beyond infrastructure growth for Pakistan to restore lost grounds in world cricket. Shehzad’s remarks have reignited the debate.
