Former Pakistan Test spinner and ex-chief selector Iqbal Qasim has strongly criticised the current generation of Pakistani cricketers saying many young players are more interested in earning money and securing league contracts than in improving their skills and understanding of the game. Qasim, who played 50 Tests and took 171 wickets for Pakistan between 1976 and 1988, and later served multiple times as a national selector (including as chief selector), spoke out on Wednesday. He noted that while selectors in his time worked on an honorary basis without salaries, today’s selectors receive handsome pay yet often lack vision and long-term planning in their decisions.
“I don’t want to talk about the past or when we played cricket. But seriously I see a general lack of interest or commitment among most of the young players to focus and work hard on improving their game awareness and skills and they seem more focussed on earning money,” Qasim said.
He pointed out that greater financial opportunities in modern cricket have made players more secure, but this has come with a downside. Many youngsters now treat a Pakistan Super League contract as the main measure of success, rather than performing consistently for the national team.
“Even now with cricket changing so much over the last few decades the formula to success remains that how much time is a player individually willing to give to improve upon his skill sets and reading the game. And that is not happening frequently now in Pakistan cricket,” he explained. “There is too much reliance on young players on coaches, assistants and data; they don’t spend enough time individually on working out things.”
Qasim recalls 1987 India Test heroics and PCB selection pressure
Qasim stressed that true greats of the game always put in personal effort to sharpen their fitness, skills and ability to read situations. Chasing contracts and league money should not come first.
“I think playing for your country is the biggest reward a player can get. I have always believed the better you improve your quality as a player the more money will come automatically, you don’t have to chase it,” he added.
The left-arm spinner, one of the rare players to retire from first-class cricket with 999 wickets, also shared a personal experience from Pakistan’s famous 1987 Test win over India in Bangalore. On the rest day, he met the late Indian spinner and captain Bishan Singh Bedi, who was unhappy with how Maninder Singh was bowling. Bedi advised that on a turning pitch, it was better to land the ball in the right areas so it would turn just enough to take wickets, rather than spinning it excessively. Qasim applied that advice in India’s second innings and played a key role in the victory.
Qasim further highlighted ongoing issues in Pakistan cricket administration. He recalled resigning as chief selector after the difficult 2009-10 tours and once standing firm against pressure from then-PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf and captain Misbah-ul-Haq to leave Shahid Afridi out of a West Indies tour squad.
