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'PCB Is A Circus': Ex-PAK Cricketer Slams Mohsin Naqvi For Poor Scheduling Of Matches

Mohsin Naqvi, PCB Chairman [x] Mohsin Naqvi, PCB Chairman [x]

Former Pakistani cricketer Yasir Arafat has criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for organising a domestic Champions One-Day Cup ahead of an important Test series against England, calling it a poorly timed and ill-conceived decision.

Pakistan cricket hit a new low by losing two-game Tests series against Bangladesh at home for the first time in their cricketing history. 

The men in green lost both the games from winning position, which further raised questions on leadership and competency of the senior players.

That being said, Pakistan are scheduled to face England in a three-game Tests series starting from October 7. Ahead of the tournament, PCB organised a one-day cup for the domestic players to showcase their talent and put forward contendership for the national team. 

Yasir Arafat slams PCB!

However, former Pakistan cricketer Yasir Arafat opined that PCB’s decision was ill-timed. At a time when Pakistan is struggling to stay relevant in red ball cricket, domestic players must have been instructed to play four-day games instead of ODIs.

"Your grey areas have been highlighted. Fitness issues, technique issues, and pitches. Today I heard Jason Gillespie and the high-performance coach are going back to Australia. You are conducting an ODI tournament. These decisions I don't understand. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is a circus. There are jokers in that, and this is a joke," Yasir said.

Yasir was furious and called PCB a circus filled with jokers who have no sense of understanding for the sport they are dealing with. 

"You have a Test series against England coming up, and you are bringing players for ODIs. Shan Masood is saying in a press conference that our players have not played first-class cricket for 1.5 years. You have a big series against England coming up, and you are playing ODIs. This looks like a circus to me. The people who are working are jokers, and their decisions are jokes."

Notably, Pakistan is yet to win a home Tests series since 2021. And if Bangladesh were a tough opponent, facing England appears an impossible task.

England Test Series Likely To Be Moved Out Of Pakistan

Meanwhile, in a major setback for the home fans, Pakistan’s impending Test series against England is likely to be shifted out of Pakistan due to venue unavailability.

Currently, almost every major cricket stadium in Pakistan is undergoing renovation as PCB prepares to host the Champions Trophy in 2025. The three Tests are scheduled at Karachi, Multan and Rawalpindi.

In case PCB is unable to host the series at home, UAE and Sri Lanka are potential alternate venues.