LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday said some talented cricketers fail to fulfil their potential because they stop working hard after gaining fame.
Addressing the media at a Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalandars event, Naqvi said the sport demands consistent effort, warning that talented players risk wasting their potential.
“I have seen a lot of cricketers who leave their hard work when they get a little bit of fame. This is a game in which you have to work continuously. And your very good players come to the team and get wasted,” he said.
Naqvi also questioned why players selected for the national team from a large pool of talent still needed to be taught fundamental skills, pointing to Pakistan’s population of around 240 million.
“We have faced it ourselves. Being in the national team, we are teaching them. The coaches used to tell me that we are teaching them this and that,” Naqvi said.
“You are a nation of 24 crore people. If you are picking 14 people out of that, if you have to teach them as well, then what is the point?”
The PCB chairman clarified that his remarks were not directed at any particular individual, acknowledging instead that the board itself had made mistakes.
“These were our mistakes. I am not saying this to anyone. These were our own mistakes. We have corrected ourselves. And we will continue this,” he said, expressing hope that collective efforts would yield better results for Pakistan cricket.
Naqvi stressed that developing the country’s abundant cricketing talent required a collective effort, adding that the PCB could not accomplish the task alone.
He said the board needed to work alongside franchises and cricket associations to identify, train and prepare emerging players.
The PCB chief also highlighted the role of school cricket in strengthening the country’s talent pipeline, saying the board was promoting it alongside domestic cricket.
He said he had requested PSL franchise owners to include new talent in their teams and provide opportunities to players emerging from school cricket.
Naqvi added that the PCB planned to involve 3,000 children in the next edition of its school cricket programme, while another batch of young players was expected to be ready within the next six months.
He also highlighted the work being carried out at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to develop players.
Naqvi also said that the Test squad being announced today would give opportunities to new players, with around 80% of the squad expected to comprise fresh faces.
His remarks came as Pakistan announced an initial 14-member squad for the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, with uncapped batters Sameer Minhas, Mohammad Taha and Mohammad Suleman receiving their maiden call-ups.
📢 Pakistan Test squad announced for the two-match series against Sri Lanka, starting 9 November 🏏
Two pacers from Patron's squad will be added to the Test side following conclusion of the warm-up match on 6 November 🗓️
More details ➡️ https://t.co/vrlCYn1UZM#PAKvSL |… pic.twitter.com/Aw81ARN915
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 24, 2026
Former captain Shan Masood was dropped from the squad, while star batter Babar Azam retained the captaincy.
The ICC World Test Championship series will be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore from November 9 to 21. The selectors will add two fast bowlers to the squad after the conclusion of a three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka, scheduled for November 4-6 in Islamabad.
