‘Owed thousands’: Dizzy’s shock reveal on Pakistan drama… and ‘untouchable’ figure to blame
Broad tears into Ul-Haq at Lords | 00:26
Tim Miller from Fox SportsSeptember 8th, 2026 7:13 am
Australian great Jason Gillespie has delivered a scathing assessment of the man behind Pakistan cricket’s “volatile and chaotic” current state – and revealed he’s still owed “thousands” from his stint as coach.
The rebuke comes as the team’s nightmare tour of England sparks an investigation from the nation’s cricket hierarchy.
A report from the Telegraph has revealed that the Pakistan Cricket Board has confiscated the phones of two players in the touring squad as they conduct an inquiry into the team’s “discipline and conduct” while in England.
It comes after two heavy losses to surrender
It comes after two heavy losses to surrender an unassailable 2-0 series lead prompted the PCB to sack seven players, plus coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul, mid-tour – before insisting they remain in the country so as not to cause embarrassment with a low turnout for a scheduled meeting with King Charles III.
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“The Pakistan Cricket Board has initiated an internal disciplinary inquiry following media reports concerning discipline and conduct, which are currently being reviewed internally,” a statement from PCB head of communications Amir Mir reads.
The PCB handles such matters in accordance
“The PCB handles such matters in accordance with its standard procedures. The process is being conducted under PCB regulations, ensuring that all concerned individuals are given due consideration.
“At this stage, any speculative reports or unverified claims circulating on certain platforms, particularly those originating from hostile external
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An inquiry is also imminent against opener Imam-ul-Haq, who did not bat in either innings in the second Test at Lord’s after suffering a calf tear, with high performance director and chairman of selectors Aaqib Javed publicly criticising the veteran for not playing through the injury.
Speaking to the Telegraph, Gillespie, who coached Pakistan
Speaking to the Telegraph, Gillespie, who coached Pakistan between April and December 2024 before an abrupt resignation in protest against the PCB, expressed his bitter regret at the team’s plight – and revealed he is still owed thousands from that stint almost two years on.
“The PCB still owes me thousands of dollars, but I was never going to be a yes man,” the former Australian fast bowler said.
“I wasn’t going to compromise on my principles, I never have throughout my career and I certainly wasn’t going to change.
I could have stayed quiet, agreed to everything
“I could have stayed quiet, agreed to everything and taken home my salary, but that’s not me and part of me knew I was probably going to be sacked in a couple of months anyway.”
Gillespie said he had been “warned” about the nature of Pakistan cricket, but said he was “honoured” to receive the opportunity, having been told by the PCB that their plan was to improve the nation’s fast-bowling stocks.
The 51-year old was scathing in his assessment of Javed, a former Pakistani fast bowler who was appointed to the selection committee in October 2024 and immediately triggered a push towards an all-spin bowling Test attack midway through a home series against England.
“The appointment of Javed fundamentally altered the landscape,” Gillespie said.
From that moment, my relationship with Pakistan cricket
“From that moment, my relationship with Pakistan cricket completely changed. Aaqib came in and took over. It appeared to me that he was in charge of absolutely everything.
“I went from looking after the Test side, managing that and looking after the players and the staff and having a role in selection to then absolutely no role in anything.
“The whole experience just deflated me and put me off coaching. It affected me mentally, doubting myself and left me thinking whether I still wanted to be involved in the sport.
“I was totally disrespected and undermined and I direct that towards Aaqib Javed.
At our first meeting he came
“At our first meeting he came in with bravado, bluff, and bluster, wanting to show he was the man in charge. He said: ‘This is what we need to do.’ I listened and said OK. But this kept on happening and I pushed back on a couple of his comments.
“I just felt from that moment on that it wasn’t going to work because he’d already decided what he was going to do. There was going to be no collaboration whatsoever.
“Aaqib had the support of the chairman and the board and that’s why he felt he was untouchable – as a coach, you feel compromised.
He was not a collaborative chairman of selectors
“He was not a collaborative chairman of selectors. He doesn’t take on other people’s ideas, thoughts, or opinions. He might think he does, but he doesn’t. It was his way or the highway.
“He just does what he wants because he is allowed to (because of) his close relationship with the chairman. That’s not an environment that I wanted to work in or be a part of.”
Javed would go on to briefly replace Gillespie as head coach, who in turn had stepped in as interim white-ball coach when Gary Kirsten resigned in similar circumstances midway through 2024.
Gillespie added that Pakistan cricket’s turbulent present has
Gillespie added that Pakistan cricket’s turbulent present has been directly caused by Javed, saying the board’s influence over every aspect of the Test set-up is a recipe for disaster.
“It’s heartbreaking for me to see what’s going on now, it’s a mess,” he said.
“I know the crux of it. It’s Aaqib Javed. He is the problem and as long as he is there, then Pakistan cricket will continue to go backwards.
You get chairman and people at the board
“You get chairman and people at the board sitting at desks picking the captain, it’s nonsense.
“Get the right coach in, allow him time to let the dust settle, and then allow him to pick the captain and go from there and rebuild Pakistan cricket and take it forward, because at the moment it’s going nowhere.”
Gillespie’s brutal comments come alongside former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali’s equally stinging criticism of Javed’s role in the Test team’s ongoing drama.
He should take responsibility for performances
“He should take responsibility for performances. His judgment should be questioned,” the former opener told The Guardian.
“I listened to his interview this week and he was trying to put the blame on Sarfaraz (Ahmed) and Babar (Azam).
“He appointed them just a few months earlier!
“Every decision he makes backfires and he then says: ‘It’s not me.’ Look at yourself first. And if you cannot control this team.
“If you cannot make a difference to Pakistan cricket, then step away.”
Pakistan are aiming to salvage some pride
Pakistan are aiming to salvage some pride from the wreckage when a new-look team takes on England in the third Test at Edgbaston later this week.
New bowling coach and former Australian international Ashley Noffke admitted his aim is to keep the players’ attention away from the turbulence behind the scenes.
“I sit outside that decision-making model above us as coaches,” he said.
“We try to keep the players focused on what they need to worry about.
“I guess that’s one thing I’ve learned about being in Pakistan and coaching for a period of time – nearly 15 months with the white-ball team – there’s always something going on in the background, whether or not it’s in or out of our control.
“Most of the time, it’s out of the players’ control.”
Source: www.foxsports.com.au
