“Basit Ali Warns Pakistan Cricket: ‘Talent Has Finished, We May Need To Play ICC Qualifying Rounds’

April 3, 2025: Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has raised serious concerns over the future of Pakistan cricket, warning that if the current trends continue, the team might soon find itself playing in the ICC qualifying rounds for major international tournaments.

Pakistan’s cricketing fortunes have taken a significant hit in recent years, with their performance in global tournaments, such as the Champions Trophy and more recently against New Zealand, failing to meet expectations. After a disappointing group-stage exit from the 2017 Champions Trophy, the team has struggled to regain its form. This was evident in their disastrous 4-1 series defeat to New Zealand in T20Is and the successive defeats in the ongoing ODI series, where Pakistan was outclassed by the Kiwis.

In his latest comments on his YouTube channel, Basit Ali stated that the lack of progress in Pakistan’s cricket team is alarming, with talent seeming to have disappeared. He pointed out that the team’s reliance on star players like Babar Azam is unsustainable, with the team showing little depth beyond him. “If we don’t make decisions and improve our base, otherwise we will have to play qualifying rounds. We lost all 10 wickets to pacers. Our top Bradman batters were out early. Talent has finished in Pakistan. Pakistan’s cricket starts with the name of Babar Azam and ends with it,” Basit said.

He also traced the downturn in Pakistan’s cricketing fortunes to a key moment during the Asia Cup 2023, where they were completely outclassed by India. Despite the first match being washed out due to rain, the subsequent match saw Virat Kohli and KL Rahul hammering the Pakistan bowlers, setting the stage for India’s comprehensive 228-run victory. Basit noted that since that match, Pakistan’s batting and bowling have both remained unstable, which was evident again in the T20 World Cup, where Pakistan failed to chase down a mere 119 runs.

With their poor recent form, Basit warned that unless significant changes are made, Pakistan might soon find itself in the unfamiliar territory of qualifying for major tournaments like the ICC World Cup and T20 World Cup, a place they’ve previously avoided.

Pakistan has an urgent need for a comprehensive rebuilding process if they want to return to being a competitive force in world cricket. With the 2026 T20 World Cup and 2027 ODI World Cup just a few years away, Pakistan’s cricketing authorities will need to make critical decisions to avoid further deterioration and ensure that the team is prepared to compete at the highest level.