Basit also slammed the Pakistan team for its humiliating Test series whitewash against Bangladesh.
Pakistan cricket is going through a tumultuous time lately. After a first-round exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, they suffered a humiliating 2-0 whitewash in the held home Test series against Bangladesh last month.
Pakistan's next assignment is the Test series at home against England. However, former cricketer Basit Ali has claimed that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is working overtime to ensure the team does well in ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held in Pakistan early next year.
Basit also made a serious allegation against white-ball coach Gary Kirsten, saying that the former South African opener is now part of the politics in Pakistan cricket.
"Pehle dosti yaari group ka jo head tha ab woh change ho gaya hai. Babar (Azam) ne step down kar diya hai group se. Ab uss group ko sambhala hai white-ball ke head coach Gary Kirsten sahab ne (the head of friendship group has changed. Babar has stepped down and now the man taking care of that group is Kirsten)," Basit said in his latest video on YouTube.
Reflecting on the meeting that was held to pick the squad for the first Test against England, Basit said Kirsten spoke about the same things in the meeting that the players have said before, like "bring consistency, be it the selectors or the players, they should be given a long run."
He further stated that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had no choice but to agree to the suggestion of giving another chance to all-rounder Shadab Khan.
"Kuchh logon ke basis pe hua hai yeh (this happened because of a few people). Being a head, he (Naqvi) has to support, which is a good thing. Par mai isse saazishi-tola bolunga (but I will call this a colluding group), be it the PCB establishment."
He also slammed the team for its humiliating Test series whitewash at home against Bangladesh.
"Mai to saaf bolta hu. Bangladesh ne bakri banaya, bakri bana ke haraya Pakistan ko (I talk straight; Bangladesh turned Pakistan into a lamb they could easily defeat)...How long will favours for friends (in selection) last? It only works behind closed doors. On the ground only performance works," he added.
Basit also claimed that "(Mohammad) Rizwan kept quiet and whatever Shaheen Shah Afridi said fell to deaf ears" during the meeting.
He believes that Kirsten will be sacked from head coach post after the Champions Trophy 2025.
"He will be at the helm of the team till the Champions Trophy. However, he will be fired after that. I am saying this now that it will be tata, bye bye for him...He has also become a part of the politics of Pakistani cricket. But he won't be successful...It will be a big achievement for Pakistan to make it to the top four (of Champions Trophy)," said Basit in the video.