Shoaib Akhtar and Mohsin Naqvi (Image Agency) Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has indirectly questioned the Pakistan Cricket Board’s leadership after Pakistan were knocked out of the 2026 FIFA T20 World Cup despite signing off their Super 8 campaign with a win over Sri Lanka.Pakistan’s victory in the final Group 2 match was not enough to overcome New Zealand’s above-average net speed, marking another semi-final blunder at the global event. It marked Pakistan’s fourth failure in ICC tournaments after early appearances in the 2023 ODI World Cup, 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy.
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Speaking about Tapmad, Akhtar did not mince words when criticizing the think tank team. He described the management as “clueless” and suggested that poor selection calls had cost Pakistan dearly in the last fortnight.“Pakistan’s management looks completely clueless. Today’s team selection only confirmed that the XI selected in the last 15 days was wrong. There was one glaring mistake — Saim Ayub should have played instead of Khawaj Nafay. Saim could have contributed with the ball as well,” Akhtar said.He pointed out that Pakistan’s strong performance against Sri Lanka highlighted what was missing earlier in the tournament.“This selection has shown that if you pick the right players in the right roles, they will do well. Fakhar Zaman is a natural opener but he was not played before. Farhan, Fakhar and Abrar performed today. That tells you everything.”Akhtar then turned his attention to PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, suggesting that while the boss may have good intentions, the structure around him is failing the team.“I have nothing against Mohsin Naqvi. From what I have heard, he is a good man. He is one of the most powerful chairmen in the history of Pakistan cricket. He has influence, resources and authority. But if he cannot build a strong management structure and the team has not qualified in four consecutive tournaments, then there is something seriously wrong with the board.”“I understand he may not be a cricket expert and genuinely wants the team to do well. But is he looking for the right advice? It doesn’t seem like it. This is a plea for Naqvi: people who advise you to look bad. The selection committee is not doing you justice.”“He may want Pakistan cricket to succeed, but the system around him is not helping. The real question is – who are these people? At this stage, Naqvi remains Pakistan cricket’s last hope, but he needs the right support structure to turn things around.”
