Shoaib Akhtar's Embarrassing U-Turn After Calling Mohsin Naqvi "Illiterate"

Pakistan pace great Shoaib Akhtar did not even wait 24 hours before making an embarrassing U-turn on the comments he had made against Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi. Speaking on an Indian news channel, Akhtar had called Naqvi "incompetent and illiterate". However, the Rawalpindi Express had a dramatic change of heart when he appeared as an expert on a Pakistani news channel, where he made a desperate attempt to retract his statement but struggled to do so.

Speaking on Pakistani outlet ARY News, Akhtar explained that his usage of the words "incompetent and illiterate" was in the larger context of the game in Pakistan and not directed towards Mohsin Naqvi "bhai".

"The words 'incompetent and jaahil (illiterate)' that I used were not meant for Mohsin Naqvi bhai. It looked like I said those words for him. The incompetency topic I spoke about was from a broader perspective: that such a person can destroy any institution. My hint was not towards Mohsin Naqvi (said while fumbling repeatedly) but the top brass that is running international cricket. But the television channel twisted it. In the same programme, I also said that we should not say wrong things about Mohsin Naqvi, he is a good guy. He wants to help Pakistan cricket but does not get the right advice," Akhtar said on the show.

The former Pakistan pacer also admitted that he is indeed angry with Naqvi, but for the U-turn he made on the boycott stance against India in the T20 World Cup, and not for the way he is running the PCB.

"I am angry with him as he took a stand but did not stick with it. The entire community was with him. He could have asked me about taking the U-turn," Akhtar further said.

Lol… here comes the U-Turn. pic.twitter.com/9fuyCyucvT

— Ihtisham Ul Haq (@iihtishamm) February 16, 2026

What Shoaib Akhtar First Said on Mohsin Naqvi

During a chat on ABP News, Akhtar had said that a person like Mohsin Naqvi is not fit to hold the position of chairman in the PCB.

"If you make me the chairman of a channel, how would I know how to run it? Now there is a person who does not know, and he is the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. So what can be done now? How will the team function like this?"

"Do you know what the biggest crime in the world is? Giving a big job to an incompetent and illiterate person," he had further said.

Shoaib Akhtar on Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi

During the chat on ARY News, Shoaib Akhtar also spoke about the criticism Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi - two of the team's superstar players - are receiving after the India match. He said Babar is not even built to play T20 cricket while Shaheen seems to be unfit at the moment.

"Shaheen is not fit. He is not able to bowl over 125 kmph. Secondly, Babar Azam is not going to deliver until you play him as an opener. He is of no use in the middle order. This format is not made for him. Shadab is also an unusual choice, I do not understand it. I do not think we are compatible against India. They are playing a cricket that is 50 years ahead of us."

"Everyone is to be blamed for this - myself, the cricket board, media, everyone. We picked the wrong people, made them stars. We did not invest in cricketing infrastructure."

Topics mentioned in this article

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