Pakistan cricketer Saud Shakeel has caused ripples with a caustic but biting statement against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on the issue of the board’s perpetual unrest over coaching assignments. In one recent interview that quickly went viral on social media, Saud Shakeel made a jibing slap at the PCB’s failure to retain a fixed head coach.
When the 18-second video went viral, the anchor in it asked Saud Shakeel what he would do if the PCB made him chairman. Shakeel replied without blinking, “The first thing I will do is bring in a permanent coach for three years, whom nobody can remove, not even when I’m no longer the chairman.” The anchor giggled, and people online repeated his lines.
Shakeel’s remark is a sign of general discontent among players and fans regarding the PCB’s recent actions. Interim coach Aaqib Javed reports that Pakistan has replaced 16 coaches and 26 selectors in only the past two years—a frightening pace by any measure.
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Coaching sessions have been nothing less than disorganized. Following Mickey Arthur’s sacking ahead of the T20 World Cup, Mohammad Hafeez held charge for a while. The board then appointed Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie. Kirsten, the ex-head coach of South Africa, quit after six months as the white-ball coach. Gillespie resigned in December, soon after he was taken off the selection panel.
The upheaval hasn’t left the captaincy untouched, either. In the wake of a disastrous 2023 ODI World Cup, Shaheen Afridi replaced Babar Azam in T20Is, and Shan Masood replaced him in Tests. But the musical chairs went on—Shaheen was dumped after a single series, Babar was reinstated briefly, and Mohammad Rizwan replaced him before facing the flak after Pakistan’s humiliating Champions Trophy exit.
The instability has also been seen in performances. Pakistan lost a 0-2 series against New Zealand, including an 84-run loss in Hamilton. The last ODI will be held in Mount Maunganui on Saturday, when Pakistan hopes to prevent a clean sweep.
Since Saud Shakeel’s statement is still trending, it’s certain the demand for structural stability in Pakistan cricket is getting louder.