Pakistan, March 25 -- Pakistan cricket has long been a source of national pride, an escape from the country's everyday struggles, and, at times, a rare unifier in an otherwise divided society. In Pakistan, cricket is not just a sport-it's muscle memory, a language spoken fluently in every street and drawing room. It's the sound of a tape ball cracking against a wall in a narrow alley. It's every second child dreaming of a green cap before they know their multiplication tables. It is, perhaps, our last shared national identity.

But for a nation so rich in cricketing culture, our performance on the world stage continues to baffle and disappoint. We collapse from dominant positions. We squander generational talents. We veer between brillian...