Latif has instead requested PCB to keep the 1992 World Cup-winning team away from the management. Commented by the former captain in response to a question concerning Pakistan’s failure to win ICC titles again and again: “Keep the players who played in the 90s as well as the management away from the team. That should settle it.” This was Latif’s suggestion, coming amid criticism from the Mohammad Rizwan -led team after their early exit from the Champions Trophy.
“It took 17 years for Pakistan to win another World Cup because the players of the 90s did not spare Pakistan cricket. Keep 90s players away from management and from the team as well then they will try to win. Even I am from the 90s. They have been serving Pakistan cricket for so long now. So, I think, they should rest now,” Latif said on Geo News show ‘Harna Mana Hai.’
Recently, Latif hinted that the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand, which will start on March 16 should bring new faces into the team.
For New Zealand T20 squad
— Rashid Latif | 🇵🇰 (@iRashidLatif68) March 3, 2025
Batting Coach Mohammad Yousuf
Shadab khan (Captain)
Muhammad haris
Sufyan Muqeem
Irfan khan Niazi
Shaheen Afridi
Abbas Afridi
Jahandad khan
Abrar Ahmed
Umair bin Yousuf
Khushdil Shah
Hassan Nawaz
Abdul Samad
Haris Rauf
Usman Khan
Hussain Talat…
Latif also added that the senior-most batsmen have had their performance put under the scanner, and to seal the deal, he shared the possible names of players who would be considered for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand through X.
On the other hand, former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria said that if Rizwan decides to step down, then the veteran Fakhar Zaman can enter the conversations of being a captain.
“He is fearless and will ask you a few questions. He has the X-Factor and took out Pakistan from the match (during the Pakistan-India match yesterday). Unfortunately, he is out of the Champions Trophy due to injury. It has to be accepted he is an X-Factor player. He is not given much encouragement because it will cause Babar and Rizwan’s shops to be shut. But he is really hard-working and courageous as a cricketer,” he added.
Speaking about change with respect to making selection of players in the way Pakistan does it, Kaneria mentioned that, “The committee should give one-year time to all the players, and within that time frame, they should be very honestly evaluated on the performances.”
“They should be told to pack their bags and go, unless of course they perform. But here they make teams based on friendships and PR. When you make a team for your country, you do not think of your own self. But here, everyone is sitting, running their shop. Score small runs and keep your work going. Things don’t work like that.”
