Pakistan are closely studying India’s blueprint in white-ball cricket as they look to arrest their recent slide on the global stage, according to senior selector and National Cricket Academy chief Aaqib Javed. Pakistan’s limited-overs returns have dipped sharply since 2022, highlighted by early exits at three successive ICC tournaments.
Pakistan have suffered heavy setbacks against sides such as Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and the USA, with a old batting template repeatedly letting them down. Speaking recently, Aaqib Javed underlined that long-term revival depends on developing strong foundations at the grassroots level.
“I’ve studied how India have built their success and tried to apply similar thinking for Pakistan’s progress. Ultimately, everything in cricket comes down to the standard of talent you produce. Somewhere along the way, we stopped getting the fundamentals right in our system. You can change captains, coaches or selectors, but without strong talent coming through, real improvement is impossible,” Aaqib said on the PCB podcast.
He stressed that building a solid structure and strengthening the cricketing framework are vital to identifying top-level talent. Javed also sounded confident about Pakistan’s prospects heading into the 2026 T20 World Cup.
“You secure quality players by building depth and creating strong competition, and that only comes from the right infrastructure and a clear system. The signs are encouraging. We have talented cricketers, they are working well together, and there are genuine options available now. Had the World Cup been in Australia or South Africa, my view might have been different, but in these conditions, this is a very good opportunity for the team to succeed,” he added.