Former PCB Chief mocks Pakistan cricket ahead of clash against India in Asia Cup 2025

Former PCB chairman Najam Sethi delivered a sharp critique of Pakistan’s cricket team, stating that even bringing in a psychiatrist would not instantly solve the team’s challenges. His comments came just before Pakistan’s Super Four clash against India in Asia Cup 2025, highlighting persistent cultural and structural issues within the squad.

Sethi’s remarks focused on the resistance to mental health support within the team. While the Pakistan Cricket Board recently engaged Dr Raheel Karim, a motivational speaker and psychiatrist, to strengthen players’ mental resilience, Sethi emphasized that psychological support alone cannot overcome ingrained habits and attitudes. Many players, he explained, still view such interventions with suspicion, associating therapy with weakness or shame.

"I tried for it [Having a psychiatrist] during my tenure. But, players here don't really accept such things, because in our culture therapy is often misunderstood. Going to a psychiatrist is considered a sign of weakness or even madness, which creates stigma," Sethi told Samaa TV.

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"Mental health, however, is a broader concept. Unfortunately, here it is only reduced to: 'Are you crazy or not?' But the most interesting factor here is, many of these experts are foreign-qualified. They communicate in English which isn't the language of our boys. They are required to be told in Urdu or Pashto," he added.

Deep-Rooted Barriers to Change

According to Sethi, the problems run deeper than individual support. Language barriers, lack of education, and entrenched cultural beliefs make it difficult for players to fully benefit from mental conditioning programs. Counseling sessions conducted in English may not resonate with all team members, he argued, and adopting local languages like Urdu or Pashto could improve engagement.

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Sethi also highlighted the time factor, stating: "Their backgrounds, their class, and the lack of proper education is another issue. Psychiatrist bhi raato raat unko kuch nahi seekha sakta (A psychiatrist can't help them overnight)." He suggested that fostering a culture that values mental preparation, resilience, and teamwork would take years of consistent effort rather than quick fixes. The criticism comes at a crucial juncture, following Pakistan’s tense group-stage performance, where issues of team cohesion and on-field discipline were evident.

While mental health and motivation are increasingly recognized in international cricket, Sethi’s comments underline the broader challenges Pakistan faces in modernizing its approach. As Asia Cup 2025 progresses, Pakistan will need to demonstrate whether it can adapt both mentally and strategically, or risk falling behind in crucial matches, particularly against rivals like India.

With the Super Four stage underway, fans and analysts alike are watching closely to see if Pakistan’s cricket authorities can translate criticism into meaningful reforms or if history will repeat itself.