Imran blames ‘political pressure’ for dismal state of Pakistan cricket

Published
61

Former Pakistan cricket great and chief of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Imran Khan, on Sunday blamed “political pressure” and “cronyism” for the international team’s consistent poor performances.

In an outpour on Twitter, Imran said Prime Minister Nawaz had “perfected the art of cronyism” and had appointed an “election fixer” to “fix” Pakistan cricket.

The former captain said “the reason cricket has, unlike elsewhere, failed to become an institution in Pak is because here PM appoints PCB chief.”

Imran’s solution to Pakistan’s woes is to “insulate” cricket from “political pressure.”

He also repeated his earlier demands to revamp the domestic cricket structure to improve players’ “temperament” and “technique.”

Imran proposed a domestic cricket circuit on the lines of Australia, where all talent is “concentrated in six regional teams” and ‘all departments instead of fielding their own teams should support the regional teams.

The PTI chief also stressed that funds be directed to more productive uses instead of “wasting money on senseless expenditures.” He said Pakistan was in a dire need of more cricket grounds.

Opinion

Editorial

State of denial
Updated 18 Oct, 2026

State of denial

If the Taliban regime commits to preventing groups based on its soil from attacking neighbouring states, the process of normalisation and regional integration of Afghanistan can begin.
Suffering in silence
18 Oct, 2026

Suffering in silence

TOO many Pakistani children have nowhere to turn when abused online. An estimated 1.5m internet-using children aged...
Export imperative
18 Oct, 2026

Export imperative

THE government’s efforts to boost Pakistan’s external sector through diversified financing, higher foreign...
No talks
Updated 17 Oct, 2026

No talks

The government should understand that the PTI’s protest march and its reaction to it will look like nothing more than a storm in a teacup.
Strengthening LGs
17 Oct, 2026

Strengthening LGs

THE ECP has done well to refuse to allow the Punjab administration to push the local government elections to April....
Lesser citizens
Updated 17 Oct, 2026

Lesser citizens

Interfaith harmony will prevail when the message to end bias is conveyed from the pulpit, alongside efforts to punish zealotry.