In this exclusive interview, former Pakistan pacer Sohail Tanvir shares his candid thoughts on why Pakistan is struggling in T20 cricket, the flaws in the domestic system, and how short-term selection decisions have hurt player development. The 2009 T20 World Cup winner opens up on his experience as Pakistan U19 Chief Selector, the importance of red-ball cricket, and why the system needs stability and patience to rebuild.
By Saj Sadiq (November 5, 2025)
Key revelations include:
System decline: "You will see the difference in the coming five years — that’s what’s happening now" – The new system dramatically reduced the number of domestic teams from over a thousand players to only 192. This resulted in the removal of hundreds of experienced players (those who had played 100 to 200 First-Class matches) who were over the age of 30.
Lack of experience: "When I started playing, I had seniors around me — they were there to guide me" – With the experienced players gone, the domestic system was left with only young players (19-24 years old) who lacked the necessary experience to learn from.
PSL hype problem: "A couple of good PSL games and everyone wants them in the Pakistan team!" – Players are often selected for the national team based on just a few good performances, mainly in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), or even just two to four domestic matches.
Selector mindset: "If you make a decision, back your decision — stand firm on it" – Management lacks a strong, logical basis for their decisions They often bring a player in only to drop them in the next series due to pressure, or bring back a dropped player because of social media "noise"
Structural warning: "The real trouble started when we threw away our domestic equity" – Tanvir concluded by arguing that the players themselves are also making mistakes by quitting Red-Ball (First-Class) cricket.
Future direction: "If you want to play for a long time, you have to play four-day cricket" – On why Pakistan must revive red-ball focus.
Watch full interview with Saj here:
