Changes in Pakistan Squad for Champions Trophy

The Pakistan team has faced a series of defeats in the Champions Trophy, which has led to severe criticism of their performance. In light of this, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to make significant changes in the coaching setup. Akib Javed, who is currently serving as the interim coach, faces an uncertain future. There are possibilities of former cricketers like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Misbah-ul-Haq being appointed as the new coach. Along with coaching changes, the PCB is also reconsidering player selections to help the team get back to winning ways.

Pakistan, which lost to India by six wickets in the Champions Trophy, has failed in other matches as well. As a result, the PCB is looking into a comprehensive review of both the coaching staff and player selection. After Gary Kirsten's resignation last year, Akib Javed took over as the interim limited-overs coach, and after Jason Gillespie’s resignation as the Test team coach, Akib was also assigned that responsibility. However, given the recent results, there are possibilities of Akib and his support staff being replaced.

The PCB has not yet decided whether they will appoint separate head coaches for the red-ball (Test) and white-ball (limited-overs) formats or assign a single coach for both. Several prominent former cricketers’ names are being considered for the coaching roles. Ex-players like Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Salman Butt, Wasim Akram, and Waqar Younis have expressed strong criticism of the team's performance, highlighting a lack of proper strategy and the inability to handle pressure. They noted the team’s failure to perform during critical moments.

The PCB is facing challenges in appointing foreign coaches, and due to this, they are likely to appoint local former cricketers as head coaches. There is also a possibility of changes in player selection, particularly with some key players such as Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah failing to meet expectations.

To bring the team back to winning ways, the PCB is considering appointing experienced coaches, with names like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq, and Younis Khan being discussed for the head coach role. Additionally, the PCB is contemplating making some key changes in the team and giving more opportunities to younger players. Analysts believe that if Pakistan is to compete successfully against stronger teams, greater attention needs to be paid to coaching, mental toughness, and team combinations.

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