PCB’s ‘Connection Camp’: Another Meeting With No Solutions

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently hosted a high-profile “Connection Camp,” advertised as a step toward mapping out Pakistan cricket’s future vision. But after all the hype, did it really offer anything new? Or was it just another round of talk with the same faces and no real change?

A Meeting of Familiar Faces

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi led the ‘Connection Camp’ through video link, while COO Salman Naseer and other PCB officials were present in person. Elite cricketers like Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Shan Masood attended, along with national coaches Jason Gillespie, Gary Kirsten, and Azhar Mahmood.

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In the meeting, one message resonated strongly: support your captains. Whether it’s Babar in white-ball formats or Shan Masood in Tests, players were encouraged to rally behind whoever is at the helm. But let’s face it, this is a familiar refrain we’ve heard countless times before.

The players were reassured that there would be no immediate captaincy changes and that their places were secure—yet again, a message that doesn’t seem to hold much weight when performances are far from impressive.

Talking About Unity… Again

One of the more significant takeaways was the PCB’s acknowledgment of internal rifts. Salman Naseer admitted that a lack of unity was part of the discussion, not just within the team but between the players and the board.

Naseer said, “We openly and candidly accepted the issues and asked for commitment on how we can improve our performances and work together as a team.” The message is clear that team-unity is a priority. But haven’t we heard this song before?

Rumors about a rift between Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi have been swirling, along with whispers of discipline issues. Yet, no concrete steps were laid out to tackle these tensions.

Read More: Babar Azam Dismisses Rumors of Rift with Shaheen Afridi

The Same Players, The Same Results

And then there’s the elephant in the room—the performance. Over the last year, Pakistan’s cricket team has been going through one of its worst periods in recent history. We’ve lost to Afghanistan in the ODI World Cup, the USA at the T20 World Cup, and most recently, 2-0 to Bangladesh in a home Test series.

Despite these dismal results, the same players seem to be getting chance after chance with little accountability. Yes, there were a few changes announced earlier—Wahab Riaz, Mansoor Rana, and Abdul Razzaq were let go from their roles.

But is that enough? Many were hoping for a more significant overhaul, something to tackle the root of the problem. Instead, it feels like we’re stuck in a loop: meetings, reassurances, and back to square one.

Read More: Kamran Akmal Urges PCB To Take Notes From BCCI

It looks like Babar Azam will continue as Pakistan’s white-ball captain, at least until the 2025 Champions Trophy. The message to the players? Follow your captain like schoolkids. It’s pretty clear the PCB isn’t planning to make any big leadership changes right now.

So, what did PCB’s “Connection Camp” really accomplish? If you’re a fan looking for a quick fix, it might feel like just another round of meetings and the same old story. We can only hope that some day the talk will finally turn into action. Until then, we’re stuck with the same team, the same leadership, and unfortunately, the same results.

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