Shoaib Akhtar Takes Brutal Dig At Mohsin Naqvi After T20 World Cup Exit: "Seriously Wrong"

Shoaib Akhtar took a dig at Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi after the Pakistan cricket team crashed out of the T20 World Cup 2026. Although Pakistan registered a narrow win over Sri Lanka in their final Super 8 match, they failed to sufficiently improve their Net Run Rate (NRR), as the Salman Ali Agha-led side lost out to New Zealand in the race for the semifinals. The former Pakistan pacer criticized Naqvi, stating that although the PCB chief is one of the most powerful chairmen in history, he has failed to build a strong management structure. Akhtar also pointed out that Pakistan has failed to reach the semifinals of its last four ICC events, including the 2023 ODI World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the 2025 Champions Trophy.

"Pakistan's management looks completely clueless. Today's team selection only confirmed that the XI picked over the last 15 days was wrong. There was one clear error: Saim Ayub should have played instead of Khawaja Nafay," Akhtar said on Tapmad.

"This selection showed that when you pick the right players for the right roles, they perform. Fakhar Zaman is a natural opener, yet he was not played earlier. Today, Farhan, Fakhar, and Abrar all delivered," he added.

The ex-cricketer did not mince his words, saying that if Pakistan continuously fails to reach the business end of competitions, it only shows that "something is seriously wrong within the board."

"I have nothing against Mohsin Naqvi. From what I hear, he is a good person. He is one of the most powerful chairmen in Pakistan's cricket history. He has influence, resources, and authority," he said.

"But if he (Naqvi) can't build a strong management structure and the team has failed to qualify in four consecutive tournaments, then something is seriously wrong within the board," Akhtar added.

Topics mentioned in this article

Shoaib Akhtar Pakistan Cricket Team Pakistan Cricket Board Mohsin Naqvi T20 World Cup 2026 Cricket