Former Pakistan cricketer and renowned commentator Bazid Khan has delivered a stark reality check on Pakistan cricket, stating that the team is no longer capable of competing with heavyweights like India and Australia.
His remarks came in the aftermath of Pakistan’s disappointing 4-1 T20I series defeat against New Zealand.
Speaking on national television, Bazid dismissed the perception that Pakistan remains among the top cricketing nations solely due to its past ICC triumphs.
He pointed out that while Pakistan has won three ICC tournaments in total, India and Australia have each secured two titles since Pakistan’s last global success—the 2017 Champions Trophy.
“We feel entitled, as if we should be winning World Cups regularly. But how many World Cups have been played, and how many have we won?” Bazid questioned.
“You are not on Australia’s level, not on India’s level. We still cling to the notion that ‘we’ve won ICC tournaments, so we are a top team.’ But unfortunately, that’s not the reality anymore.”
Bazid Khan also addressed the struggles of Pakistan’s premier pacer, Shaheen Shah Afridi, during the recently concluded T20I series in New Zealand.
The left-arm quick managed just two wickets across five matches, averaging a disappointing 66.50. However, Bazid argued that Pakistan’s lack of player development leaves them with no real alternative to replace him.
“If Shaheen Shah Afridi isn’t delivering, who else do we have? There is no new bowler emerging from Tests or ODIs,” he said.
He further highlighted the stagnation in Pakistan’s player development compared to other nations.
“Other teams have progressed, while our system has completely stalled. We’re not even close to the level of Australia and India anymore,” he added.
“The situation has deteriorated to the extent that we’re now comparing ourselves with New Zealand—when, not too long ago, we considered them a team well behind us.”
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