Multan Sultans CEO Gohar Shah has criticised standards across Pakistan cricket after the Pakistan Cricket Board changed the Test squad and coaching staff during the tour of England.
Related cricket updates: Angelo Mathews Questions Sri Lanka's Sparse Test Schedule in 2025 WTC Cycle, Shaheen Afridi Ignores Pakistan Questions at PSL Presser and Bangladesh Beats Pakistan by 104 Runs in Dhaka Test.
IPL 2026 data links: IPL 2026 data hub, IPL 2026 points table, IPL 2026 Orange Cap, IPL 2026 Purple Cap, Shubman Gill, Dhruv Jurel, Shreyas Iyer, Devdutt Padikkal.
The PCB released seven players before the third Test at Edgbaston, scheduled to begin on September 9, according to a Times of India report. The reported changes followed Pakistan’s innings-and-103-run defeat in the first Test and 194-run loss at Lord’s in the second match.
PCB changes squad and coaching staff
The PCB released Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad from the Test squad before the Edgbaston match.
The PCB also removed Sarfaraz Ahmed as head coach and Umar Gul as bowling coach. White-ball head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke were brought in for the remainder of the England tour.
Shah raises concerns over player professionalism
Gohar Shah said his assessment could place him in “hot water”, but argued that Pakistan cricket required an honest discussion about professional standards.
Shah, who has played two first-class matches and works within the Pakistan Super League as Multan Sultans CEO, said his observations came from his playing experience and involvement with dressing rooms and PCB leadership.
Supplemental editorial cricket visual for Gohar Shah questions Pakistan cricket after Test squad overhaul.
Shah questioned players’ diet, workload management and attitude, writing: “Late nights and junk food are common. Now I understand living on hotel food and being stuck for 6 weeks is tough, but the word ‘professional’ has to mean something.”
Shah also criticised the intensity shown during Test matches. He referred to occasions when fast bowlers did not chase the ball after long spells and asked why players were conserving energy when a Test had ended within two and a half days.
Media, former players and PCB culture questioned
Shah extended his criticism beyond the playing group, raising concerns about journalists, former players and the PCB’s internal culture.
Supplemental editorial cricket visual for Gohar Shah questions Pakistan cricket after Test squad overhaul.
Shah alleged that some journalists promoted personal agendas and built narratives around preferred figures. He also said many former players discussed Pakistan cricket’s problems on television without gaining coaching qualifications or taking roles that could help address those issues.
On the PCB, Shah wrote: “The board is too bureaucratic. Everyone fears to speak their mind because they worry about backlash and their jobs.”
Shah added that some people who wanted to help had stopped trying after seeing their efforts make little progress, leaving them focused on retaining their positions.
PSL franchise structure also comes under scrutiny
Shah argued that the Pakistan Super League’s franchise model gives owners limited incentive to invest heavily in long-term team development.
The Multan Sultans CEO questioned the value of building a franchise under a 10-year lease if control later returns to the PCB. Shah also criticised retention rules and player category changes, claiming that franchises could lose players after investing in talent identification and development.
Despite the criticism, Shah ended his assessment by reaffirming his support for Pakistan cricket. He wrote: “Pakistan cricket will always be in my heart. Pray for us to go back to being the best. Not just good or competitive, but the best.”
Related cricket reading on IPL Bet Online
- England beat Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs on Root's return
- India beat Zimbabwe by 90 runs for Shreyas Iyer's first series win as captain
- Ajinkya Rahane's Test legacy extends beyond his 38.46 average
- Bhatia century, Gaud wickets seal India's Lord's Test win
- England end Brendon McCullum's Test coaching tenure
- Ben Stokes announces England retirement during Trent Bridge Test
- Sobhana Mostary: 2018 Asia Cup win changed Bangladesh women's cricket
- Rain halts India's late push in Colombo Test