Pakistan Cricket in Crisis: A Look at the Team's Turmoil

NEW DELHI: The numbers on the scoreboard say 2-0 to England. The mood around Pakistan cricket says something far darker.

A 194-run defeat at Lord’s has not just pushed Pakistan to the brink of a series whitewash. It has triggered a sweeping upheaval that has left former wicketkeeper-batter Atiq-uz-Zaman staring at his country’s Test team and calling it what many have whispered for weeks: “in shambles” and at an “all-time low”.

Chaos before Edgbaston

With one Test still to play, starting September 9 at Edgbaston, the Pakistan Cricket Board has detonated the dressing room. Seven players have been sent home. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul have been removed mid-series. White-ball coaches Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke have been parachuted in to take charge of the red-ball side.

Misbah-ul-Haq, a former captain and long-time stabilising figure, has walked away from the selection panel and relinquished his batting consultant role at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

The result is a team already struggling across formats now left to pick through the rubble of its own management structure.

Atiq-uz-Zaman, speaking to IANS, did not hide his anger or his hurt.

“I don't understand why Khurram Shehzad was dropped or why the spinner (Ali Usman) was sent home after taking the most wickets in the Leeds Test,” he said. “All of a sudden, now T20 bowlers are brought into the Test squad. Why? Because Mike Hesson has his personal favourites, and he brought those players into Test cricket.

“I don't understand what's going on. Pakistan cricket is in shambles at the moment. It really hurts me because, even though I live in England, I am Pakistani at heart. I played for my country and I want them to improve and perform well in different conditions. Pakistan cricket is currently at an all-time low.”

Coaching axe leaves deeper scars

The selection turmoil is only one layer. The decision to sack Sarfaraz and Gul midway through an away Test series has cut deeper for many former players who see it as another sign of short-term panic over long-term planning.

“There is no justification for it,” Atiq said bluntly. “The same people who selected them are the ones turning around and deselecting them. That means either you made a mistake in the first place, or you are making a mistake right now.”

He reminded Pakistan’s decision-makers exactly who they had just pushed aside.

“Look, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul are greats of Pakistan cricket. They’ve won World Cups for Pakistan. Sarfaraz won a World Cup at the U19 level and then won the Champions Trophy as national captain. He deserves respect.

“Now, I personally didn't agree with him becoming the Pakistan Test team head coach because he lacked prior coaching experience and qualifications. I didn't support that appointment. But once you make him the coach, you have to back him. Give him a fair chance before you disrespect him and send him home in the middle of a Test series. It is unacceptable.

“I feel very sorry for Sarfaraz and Umar Gul because I don't think they did anything wrong. If the players on the field can't perform, or if you haven't selected a team capable of performing, what is a coach supposed to do? Let's see what Mike Hesson does now.”

Imam-ul-Haq and the question of courage

The anger has not stopped at administrators and selectors. Senior opener Imam-ul-Haq has also found himself in the line of fire after missing both innings at Lord’s with a Grade 1 tear in his left calf, despite later coming out for batting practice.

For Atiq, the optics were damning.

“Look, I won't speculate on the exact severity of his injury, but in our culture, we are raised to be tough,” he said. “If you have a Grade 1, 2, or even Grade 3 muscle strain, you still step out there and bat for your team. Even if you get out on the first ball, it doesn't matter – the public sees that you showed heart, and they respect you for it.”

Imam’s choice not to bat, then appearing in front of cameras in shorts, bandaged and heavily limping, did not sit well.

“Instead, he made himself look bad by not batting in either innings, and then walking out in front of the media in shorts with bandages on his leg and heavily limping – even if you can't run, you can still hit a ball,” Atiq said.

He pointed to examples that resonate with any cricket fan: Glenn Maxwell’s double hundred with severe hamstring cramps, Chris Woakes batting with a fractured hand, Saleem Malik facing West Indies quicks with a broken arm.

“Imam-ul-Haq should have walked out to bat. Even if he got out immediately, nobody would have questioned his commitment because he was genuinely injured. But limping around in front of the media after taking criticism the day before just looks like a performance.

“It leaves a bad impression, and I have no sympathy for that behaviour. If you don't have the heart or bravery for international cricket, you shouldn't be playing Test matches. Test cricket isn't just a test of your skills – it's a test of your character.”

Players under siege, but talent undimmed

For all the fury, Atiq still sees a group of players conditioned by a harsh system and capable of responding, even amid chaos, when they walk out at Edgbaston.

“To be honest, in Pakistan, players are used to this environment from domestic, U16, and U19 cricket,” he said. “We are raised in a tough system where you rarely get total freedom or backing, and you always feel like you are playing under threat just to survive.

“My message to them is: enjoy your cricket, believe in your skill set, do what you can with bat and ball, and leave the rest to God.”

That resilience, he believes, is the only shield they have while the ground shifts beneath their feet.

Atiq, who now scouts for England women's, Lions and Young Lions and coaches the Germany men's team, insists the raw material in Pakistan remains as rich as ever. The problem, in his eyes, sits higher up.

“Hopefully, the PCB chairman changes his approach and brings in someone with genuine expertise and leadership experience to drive real structural change,” he said. “If you surround the team with quality, professional individuals, they will instill high standards. The talent in Pakistan is undeniably there, but without the right resources and supportive structure, these players cannot reach the next level.”

The third Test at Edgbaston will not fix Pakistan cricket. It might not even save this series. But it will reveal something: whether, amid the noise, a bruised dressing room can still summon the character their critics demand.