Photo via Hindustan Times

Imran Khan blamed for downfall of Pakistan cricket: ‘Wrong decision led to landslide in our standards’

Former Pakistan chief selector and coach Haroon Rasheed has pointed to Imran Khan's overhaul of the domestic setup as the primary catalyst behind the national side's recent decline. Pakistan's international fortunes have plummeted in recent times, marked by early exits prior to the semifinals in four straight ICC global tournaments across both 50-over and 20-over formats, alongside a recent decision by the Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB administration to send seven players home from the UK following poor displays across their initial two England Tests.

Speaking on the 'Smash It' podcast, Rasheed explained that after Khan assumed office as prime minister in 2018, he dismissed an advisory task force's recommendation for an eight-team hybrid framework retaining departmental sides. Instead, Khan insisted on modeling the circuit on Australia by shrinking the field from 10-16 sides down to just six.

Rasheed, whose administrative tenure with the cricket board spanned through 2020 across coaching, selection, development, and managerial roles, noted that the panel had advocated for an incremental transition rather than the rapid shift enforced by Khan. Contending that the restructuring ultimately harmed Pakistan's competitive standard, Rasheed contrasted the outcome with India's rise, which he credited to a stable and well-organized domestic foundation.