England Beat Pakistan: Javed Chaudhry Calls for Immediate Ban on Cricket

• Javed Chaudhry sarcastically called for cricket to be banned in Pakistan after the team’s heavy defeat in England.
• He said repeated poor performances were adding to fans’ blood pressure, anxiety and frustration.
• Chaudhry argued that losing is part of sport, but players must at least show fight and effort on the field.
• He also questioned the management of Pakistan cricket and discussed the role of PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

Senior journalist and columnist Javed Chaudhry has strongly criticised Pakistan’s cricket team following its heavy defeat against England, sarcastically demanding an immediate ban on cricket in the country because of the stress and disappointment it is causing fans.

Speaking during a television discussion, Chaudhry said Pakistan cricket had left supporters dealing with “blood pressure, anxiety and depression,” using humour and exaggeration to express his frustration over the national team’s performance.

He argued that Pakistanis already face considerable political and economic pressures, while sport is one of the few areas where people look for entertainment and moments of happiness.

According to Chaudhry, fans sit in front of television screens or follow matches on their mobile phones hoping the national team will give them something to celebrate. When those expectations end in another disappointing performance, he said, the frustration only adds to existing pressures.

Referring to criticism in the British media, Chaudhry highlighted The Telegraph’s assessment of the touring Pakistan side as the country’s worst to visit England in 50 years.

However, he stressed that his main concern was not simply that Pakistan had lost.

Chaudhry said winning and losing are both part of sport, but supporters expect players to demonstrate effort and fight even in defeat. Drawing an analogy with a close horse race, he said people can accept losing when competitors remain “neck and neck” and continue fighting until the end.

“There is such a thing as losing with dignity,” he remarked, describing Pakistan’s performance as a humiliating defeat rather than simply another loss.

Continuing in a humorous tone, Chaudhry said the performance had left him feeling so depressed that he might need to seek treatment himself. He joked that even a doctor might tell him that he too needed help after watching Pakistan cricket.

The discussion then turned towards the administration of the sport and Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

Chaudhry questioned whether Naqvi had enough time to devote to cricket while handling his other responsibilities. He suggested that Pakistan cricket needed effective management and discussed former PCB chairman Najam Sethi’s tenure as a comparatively better period.

He particularly referred to Sethi’s role in launching the Pakistan Super League, noting that Naqvi himself had publicly acknowledged the former chairman’s contribution to establishing the PSL.

The discussion also focused on whether someone running a cricket organisation necessarily needs to have played the sport professionally.

Chaudhry argued that expertise in a particular field and management ability are not necessarily the same thing. Using aviation as an example, he pointed out that the person managing a major airline does not have to be a pilot, just as an aircraft engineer does not necessarily fly the plane.

According to him, the more important requirement is competent management, although administrators should still possess a basic understanding of the field they are responsible for overseeing.

The conversation reflected growing frustration surrounding Pakistan cricket following the England defeat, with Chaudhry using satire to underline a broader message: fans can accept defeats, but they expect competitiveness, effort and better management from the national side.