Shoaib Akhtar backtracks after calling Mohsin Naqvi ‘incompetent and illiterate’, says 'he’s a good guy'

Shoaib Akhtar backtracks on Mohsin Naqvi rant after IND vs PAK, says “he’s a good guy” despite calling him ‘incompetent and illiterate’

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar made a swift U-turn on his criticism of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, a day after his remarks on a news channel sparked widespread attention.

Akhtar, who had described Naqvi as “incompetent and illiterate” following Pakistan’s 61-run loss to India in Colombo, clarified on Pakistani outlet ARY News that his comments were not directed at the PCB chief personally.

“The words 'incompetent and jaahil (illiterate)' that I used were not meant for Mohsin Naqvi bhai… My hint was not towards Mohsin Naqvi but the top brass that is running international cricket. The television channel twisted it,” Akhtar said, adding that Naqvi is “a good guy” who genuinely wants to help Pakistan cricket but does not always get the right advice.

Akhtar admitted he was frustrated with Naqvi over the U-turn on the team’s boycott stance against India in the T20 World Cup, not his management of the PCB. “I am angry with him as he took a stand but did not stick with it. The entire community was with him,” he explained.

The former crcikter who is also known as Rawalpindi Express, also commented on Pakistan’s key players, noting Babar Azam is not suited to the middle order in T20s and that Shaheen Afridi appears unfit to bowl at full pace. He criticized the selection of Shadab as unusual and stressed that Pakistan’s cricketing infrastructure and talent development have been neglected.

Akhtar’s clarification comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Pakistan cricket following a one-sided defeat to India, extending India’s head-to-head ICC T20 dominance to 8-1. The build-up to the match was marked by political theatrics, including a brief boycott threat that was later withdrawn after ICC intervention.

While Akhtar has sought to soften his remarks, the broader concerns over Pakistan cricket’s management, leadership decisions, and on-field performance remain unresolved as the team faces a must-win final Super 8 match against Namibia to stay alive in the tournament.

This episode highlights both the intense media scrutiny surrounding the PCB and the pressure on Pakistan cricket figures to balance criticism with diplomacy in the aftermath of high-profile defeats.