Pakistan’s opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq criticized the team’s selection process, accusing the selectors of inconsistent criteria in choosing players.
He also stated that the current state of cricket in Pakistan is the worst he has seen in his seven-year career.
In a candid interview with a local sports platform, the left-handed batsman admitted that things went wrong during the recent tournaments.
He specifically highlighted the shocking defeat to the USA, which he believes has further damaged Pakistan’s standing in the competition.
“I haven’t been to the T20 World Cup, but I’ve heard some stories that I think are worse than the ODI World Cup. I think only the players who were on the field can really say what happened,” Imam explained.
He went on to say that his discussions with Captain Babar Azam only gave him a partial view of the situation.
“There is a difference between talking on the phone and being present at the scene,” he added.
The 28-year-old also made reference to Pakistan’s defeat to India, describing how the team, despite being in a winning position – needing just one run of the ball – collapsed dramatically.
“Losing that match (to the USA) and then to India… You get to a winning situation where you have to run the ball and then you lose from that point on,” Imam lamented.
In his analysis, he highlighted that victories are crucial to restoring confidence within the team.
“A victory is very important for the return of confidence. Although things are changing – the captaincy has changed – and I think this happens in all countries. It cannot be controlled. Only a victory can save us from all these issues”, he said.
Turning his attention to the selection process, Imam was particularly vocal about the perceived favoritism among players.
He accused selectors of promoting a culture of “like and dislike” where some players are given more opportunities than others with similar skills.
“We gave consistent opportunities to our players but did not get results in the ODI World Cup. Other teams depend on consistent opportunities,” he said.
“If you give a player 15 games while another player of similar caliber only gets three games, then you are creating problems for yourself. Selection criteria vary from player to player based on whether you like it or not.”
Imam also expressed concern about the impact of these inconsistencies on players’ confidence.
“Every player’s confidence is shaken from top to bottom. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Pakistan play so poorly in my seven-year career. It’s our fault too – be it the One-Day World Cup or Test cricket, the Boys are not performing this way, whether in terms of fitness or shape,” he concluded.
The Pakistan cricket team has faced a mix of triumphs and setbacks in recent months.
After being knocked out of the T20 World Cup, they suffered a historic 2–0 defeat to Bangladesh in a home Test series, marking Bangladesh’s first victory over Pakistan.
However, the team bounced back by defeating England 2–1 in the next Test series at home.
Pakistan then claimed a 2–1 victory over Australia in an ODI series played Down Under, although they fell short in the subsequent T20I series.
Pakistan are currently competing in an ODI series in South Africa, having won the opener but lost all three matches of the T20I series 2-0.
