Matthew Hayden calls Pakistan cricket a ‘Pressure Cooker’, says talent is being wasted

Former Australian cricketer and Pakistan batting consultant Matthew Hayden has offered a candid assessment of Pakistan cricket, saying the country possesses phenomenal natural talent but struggles to convert that ability into consistent performances because of an environment he described as chaotic.

Hayden, who previously worked with Pakistan, said he thoroughly enjoyed his time with the team but believes little has changed in terms of the pressure surrounding Pakistani cricketers and coaches.

“Cricketers have pressure, and coaches have pressure. That’s not an environment. A pressure cooker is an environment for the middle, not for all the other peripheral things that happen outside,” Hayden said.

The former Australia opener highlighted Pakistan’s immense athletic ability and suggested that the team’s status as perennial “dark horses” stems from its abundance of natural talent.

“Anyone who can see athletic ability can see that Pakistan have an abundance of it. The trouble is that it never gets focused because it’s never allowed to get focused. It’s always in chaos,” he said.

Hayden recalled that one of the things he enjoyed during his stint with Pakistan was bringing stability to the environment and reducing the sense of panic around the team.

“They’re always standing on one toe, let alone two feet. So there’s no grounding,” he added.

Drawing a comparison with the West Indies, Hayden said Pakistan has a huge population of passionate cricket fans, yet opportunities to simply play and develop cricket are often disrupted by factors away from the game.

Hayden believes Pakistan could compete with any team in the world if the players are given freedom, trust and a stable environment.

“If you allow Pakistan and Pakistan allows Pakistan to just play freely and with trust, then they’ll take on anyone,” Hayden said, stressing that the country’s athletic ability is “supreme.”