Pakistan cricket faces a severe crisis as the team continues to struggle during its tour of England in August and September 2026. England has already won the first two Tests of the series, defeating Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley and by 194 runs at Lord's. With Pakistan trailing 2-0 in the three-match Test series, the Pakistan Cricket Board has begun making significant changes to address the team's poor performance.
Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtarhas delivered a stark assessment
of the situation facing Pakistan cricket. Speaking on the Outside Edge show, Akhtar described the state of the national team in blunt terms, reflecting the gravity of the challenges ahead. According to Akhtar, the PCB has already begun implementing a major overhaul of the squad structure.
"The PCB itself was very disappointed by these people, and they don’t expect anything from this Pakistan squad. The plan is to remove this squad and replace them with younger and newer blood. Players who just want to play for Pakistan. They are looking at the future now, and they are working at it in the right way," Akhtar said on the show.
PCB's plan to rebuild with younger players
The former Pakistan pacer, however, urged the team management to exercise caution during the transition phase. Akhtar highlightedShaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf as three key players whose careers must be handled carefully as Pakistan looks to rebuild the side.
“In this transition, I just want Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf’s careers to be saved. These guys have a lot of cricket left in them,” he added.
'Nothing' expected from current Pakistan squad
Akhtar also revealed an interesting conversation he had with a PCB official, claiming it gave him an insight into the board's expectations from the current Pakistan team.
The former pacer said he asked the official what the PCB expected from the side during its England tour. According to Akhtar, the response was surprisingly blunt.
“Nothing. We have expectations from the next generation of players that we are preparing for the big stage,” Akhtar concluded.
