Aaqib Javed, the selector for Pakistan’s men’s national team, launched into an impassioned defence of his performance with the squad during the previous 18 months, arguing that the media and supporters should let go of the “urge to scapegoat” individuals following subpar outcomes. Aaqib Javed stated that Pakistan just lost out on net run rate and that it “wasn’t so big an issue to suggest Pakistan cricket had been destroyed” as a result, two weeks after Pakistan was eliminated from the T20 World Cup, their fourth consecutive ICC men’s competition without a last-four participation.

Aaqib Javed gave a speech at a news conference in Lahore that was unique in that it was called by every member of the men’s selection committee at a time when there was no squad to reveal. Rather, it was a chance to respond to criticism of the team and the selection committee. Soon after the press conference concluded, the PCB released a statement stating that Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB Chair, had met with the members of the selection committee and “expressing full confidence” in them in order to put up a united front. It said that they were instructed not to “worry about criticism that is made merely for the sake of criticism.”

It seems that the selection committee didn’t need to be reminded twice, as Aaqib Javed emphasised the squad’s successful outcomes in bilateral series while maintaining that he believed Pakistan cricket has improved during his 18 months with the team.

Also Read

Rohit Sharma Eyes More World Cup Glory for India

The current run of Indian men’s and women’s teams winning ICC titles is “just the start,” according to skipper Rohit Sharma, who has won two ICC ch...

“In our setup whenever a team loses, there is always a demand to punish someone,” he stated. “It occurred at the Asia Cup, the Champions Trophy, and the preceding World Cup. Every time we lose, we will go beyond and demand that the coach, selectors, or entire team be replaced. There is no other place in the world of cricket where we switch coaches and selections the way we do. We must stop using people as scapegoats.

Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfaraz Ahmed, who were formally announced as members of the selection committee last week, were also present for the first time, as if to emphasise the point. Azhar Ali left the panel late last year, and Aleem Dar resigned after the T20 World Cup.

Since his appointment in October 2024, Aaqib Javed has been the selection panel’s only consistent member despite multiple arrivals and departures.

“Overall, if I view the Pakistan team since I’ve come here, we beat England in a Test series, which no one even dreamed of,” Aaqib Javed said, going over the results nearly series by series. After 27 [22] years, we finally won an ODI series in Australia. Then, in South Africa [in ODIs], we defeated South Africa 3-0, something no one had ever done before. We could have won the Centurion Test, but we let it go through our fingers. “Then came the Champions Trophy, which I admit was a disaster.”

The team was performing well up until that point. Here, we defeated Australia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka, indicating that we will perform well in the T20 World Cup. Did you not think this team will perform well? I most definitely did.

After just five days and two games, Pakistan was eliminated from the Champions Trophy 2025, the first ICC event they had hosted in almost thirty years, after losing to India and New Zealand in the tournament’s first match. They ultimately placed last in their group.

“The India-Pakistan match is important for us, but we have never [once] beaten India in a World Cup,” Aaqib Javed said, acknowledging that the losses to India, who have now defeated Pakistan in each of their last nine games, were painful. In T20 World Cups, it is 8-0 [8-1]. They have been played by the greatest captains since 1975, involving players of all ages, and we have never defeated India; the score is 8-0 [8-1]. Put that aside.

“We only lost one game against England and advanced to the second round. Was there anything else that occurred? We needed to defeat Sri Lanka by that amount, but we were unable to do so. We only lost one game, and the net run rate was the sole reason we lost. Saying that our cricket has been ruined is not such a big deal.

Following the conclusion of PSL 2026, the selection committee will have two Test matches against Bangladesh in May. The team is presently in Bangladesh, where Pakistan assembled a youthful roster that includes six prospective debutants, four of whom have already received their first ODI caps. At 1-1, the series is now tied.