"Ignore the Noise" – Naqvi on Selection Committee Independence After Scrutiny Over Squad Overhaul

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi met the national men’s selection committee in Lahore on Saturday and assured them of complete independence in decision-making, urging selectors to carry out their responsibilities without external pressure.

During the meeting, Naqvi told selectors Aqib Javed, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq and Sarfaraz Ahmed to focus on their duties and ignore criticism that lacks constructive intent.
“Perform your duties honestly and without any pressure. Don't care about anyone's criticism for the sake of criticism,” said Naqvi on the selection committee.
“My full support is with you,” he added.

Members of the national selection committee thanked the PCB chairman for expressing confidence in their work and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the team through merit-based decisions.

Selection criticism after Bangladesh series defeat

The meeting came at a time when the selection panel has been facing scrutiny over changes made to Pakistan’s ODI squad for the ongoing away series against Bangladesh national cricket team. The three-match assignment is Pakistan’s first international series following their exit from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

Despite entering the series on the back of a 3-0 home sweep against Sri Lanka national cricket team in November last year, Pakistan introduced several changes to the squad. Senior players including Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haseebullah, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah and Saim Ayub were left out.

In their place, the selectors handed opportunities to six uncapped players: Abdul Samad, Maaz Sadaqat, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan and ShamMaazyl Hussain.

The criticism intensified after Pakistan suffered a heavy defeat in the opening match of the series. The visitors were bowled out for 114, their lowest total against Bangladesh, before the hosts chased the target with eight wickets in hand and 209 balls remaining.

Pakistan, however, responded strongly in the second fixture. The visitors levelled the contest with a convincing 128-run victory, driven by an all-round performance from young player Maaz Sadaqat.

Aqib Javed highlights impact of frequent changes

Following the meeting with the PCB chairman, members of the selection committee addressed reporters at Gaddafi Stadium, where Aqib Javed spoke about the recurring calls for changes in Pakistan cricket after major tournament defeats.

“For a long time, this has been happening in our country. Whenever our team loses a tournament, we immediately start saying there should be accountability. People start demanding scrutiny, asking for players to be dropped or removed,” Javed said.

“This started after the last World Cup. Then the same noise happened during the Champions Trophy and again during the Asia Cup. Whenever we lose, protests begin, and people demand that the entire team be changed. They ask for the captain to be replaced, the coach to be replaced, the selectors to be replaced, and even the Chairman to be replaced.”

Javed added that repeated restructuring has harmed long-term stability in the team.

“In doing this, we have committed many injustices. In my opinion, one of the biggest mistakes in Pakistan cricket has been the constant changes from the top management downwards. If you place Pakistan cricket's model on one side and compare it with the rest of the world on the other, I do not think any other team has made as many changes as we have.”