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What a difference a year makes. This statement applies to Pakistan’s cricket team. Under the leadership of former skipper Babar Azam, the Men In Green got to a T20 World Cup final, where they lost to England despite a valiant effort.

The 29-year-old Peshawar Zalmi captain arguably had one of the most balanced bowling attacks in T20 cricket. Imad Wasim was their slow left-arm bowler, with Shadab being his fellow spinner.

To compliment that, the fast bowlers of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Harris Rauf, Naseem Shah and Mohammed Wasim were fearsome. No score felt not defendable from the Pakistani bowling attack point of view.

But something changed. When Pakistan went into the Asia Cup, on the face of it, they would have felt optimistic to have been competitive in a semi-home tournament. Sadly from their point of view, this didn’t happen.

Imad Wasim had lost his place to Mohammed Nawaz a little bit before then and Shadab Khan thought he was on throw-down duty, as it seemed his skills of being an elite spinner deserted him.

Bad became worse as Naseem Shah and Harris Rauf got badly injured putting their ODI World Cup participation in doubt. Harris made it, but Naseem didn’t.

Lahore Qalandar’s fast bowler Harris, wasn’t fully fit in India and it showed. The cricket world will tell you, that this Pakistan bowling attack is the worst in some time, is it? Arguably it is.

All is not lost though, in the test arena they unearthed Aamar Jamaal, who has been on the circuit for a while but still has some years and miles left in the tank at just 28 years old. Khurrum Shahzad is another.

Despite playing one test against Australia, he did enough to show he has some promise. Moving down age groups Mohammed Zeeshan for example is another of a historically long line of quality fast bowlers.

Zeeshan has impressed while playing for Islamabad United in the PSL. Pakistan’s problems or apparent problems don’t just stop in the bowling department.

Usama Mir, the current player who is currently the number one spinner for Pakistan impressed whilst playing for Worcestershire.

Not since 2021 have the 2009 T20 World Champions had a very reliable middle order.

The days of Mohammed Hafeez and Shoaib Malik. There have been murmurs that former Pakistan captain Malik does want to play in this summer’s T20 World Cup, but surely Pakistan needs to blood younger talent.

Azaan Awais, Saad Baig (current Under-19 Pakistan captain), Mohammed Hurairah, Akram Khan (former Under-19 Pakistan captain). There’s Haseebullah, Mohammed Haris and even Haider Ali.

So to conclude my point, Pakistan were wrong to get rid of Babar as captain, for the limited over sides at least. For those who said he resigned, yeah of course he did and I turned down a call-up to be in the Pakistan team as the 12th man.

This current regime tried to change too much. Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan were a good opening partnership. What do the PCB do? They break it up, well-done guys, well done. (Not really).

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