Azhar Ali blames Aaqib Javed for Pakistan cricket chaos

Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali has slammed Aaqib Javed, blaming the High Performance Director for poor decisions and accusing him of shifting the blame as Pakistan cricket continues to slide.Under interim coach Aaqib Javed, Pakistan have failed to win a single match in Champions Trophy 2025. Courtesy: AFPFormer Pakistan captain Azhar Ali has launched a scathing attack on High Performance Director Aaqib Javed, holding him responsible for several decisions behind the team's recent struggles and accusing him of shifting the blame when things go wrong.Pakistan are 2-0 down in the ongoing three-Test series against England after defeats at Headingley and Lord's. With the final Test set to begin at Edgbaston on September 9, Azhar fears Pakistan may struggle to make the series finale competitive.The former right-hander was particularly critical of Javed, who oversees cricketing matters at the Pakistan Cricket Board and has remained an influential figure through several changes within the setup.Azhar believes Javed must take responsibility for Pakistan's performances and step aside if he cannot turn things around. "We have had bad decisions like these for three years now. He should take responsibility for performances. His judgment should be questioned. I listened to his interview this week, and he was trying to put the blame on Sarfaraz and Babar. He appointed them just a few months earlier!""That was enough for me to judge someone. Every decision he makes backfires, and he then says: 'It's not me.' Look at yourself first. And if you cannot control this team, if you cannot make a difference to Pakistan cricket, then step away," he told The Guardian. Pakistan's problems, however, extend well beyond the current Test series. The team have gone through repeated changes in leadership and management, while their performances have become increasingly difficult to predict.Azhar believes Pakistan have even lost the unpredictability that once made them such a dangerous side."People used to say you could expect anything from Pakistan - that any team could turn up on any given day and either be 46 all out or win from nowhere. But we don't even do that inconsistency any more. We've become totally consistent - in the most negative way."For Azhar, the answer lies in building a clear long-term plan rather than continuing with short-term changes. He believes developing Pakistan's fast-bowling pipeline must be a key part of that process."We have to ask why the fast bowlers are not coming through. Look at Bangladesh. They were not content with just spin at home; they wanted to grow as a cricketing nation and produced a group of fast bowlers who have just won a Test match in Australia. You can't just hope it happens, which is what the attitude feels like in Pakistan these days.""We need a settled structure and one where people are hired and backed for three-to-four years. Right now the under-19s, for example, are leaderless. But that role is arguably more important than the head coach of the senior side," Ali said.Azhar also offered support to Babar Azam, who has come under intense scrutiny during a difficult period for Pakistan cricket. He believes the former captain has been placed under enormous pressure and does not possess the same mental toughness that helped players such as Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan deal with criticism."It is probably the worst time to captain Pakistan right now. He has to consider his options too, I believe. Every player goes through periods of low scores, but as a nation we just kept expecting him to deliver, and criticism followed. It has played on his mind, and he has doubted himself, while lacking any internal support.""I don't think he is as mentally strong as Misbah or, say, Younis Khan. Misbah was not as talented as Babar, but he was far tougher. Younis faced criticism but never lost his targets. Everyone is different, though. We have to realise that and create an environment where he can flourish, not be pulled back," he said.For now, Pakistan's immediate focus is on the final Test against England. After the defeats in the first two matches, Azhar sees little reason for optimism. He pointed to the team's body language as evidence of low confidence and expects England to remain in control at Edgbaston."You can tell from their body language that things are not good. I would be very surprised if the final Test is a contest," he said.- EndsPublished By: Saurabh KumarPublished On: Sep 7, 2026 20:25 IST