Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has expressed concerns about the lack of progression in Pakistani cricket, stating that there is a significant amount of time where they do not compete against competitive competition. Misbah stated that the limited amount of games against very competitive teams like India, England, and Australia is a big factor in how cricket is developed internationally.

Misbah stated that Pakistan is often left with lesser quality teams to play against, as those types of teams are not beneficial for either the development or the improvement of the team. "If Pakistan is not playing India, and only playing big teams like England and Australia once every two years, but then continuously plays lesser teams, then how will the Pakistan cricket team improve?" He echoes the sentiments from many circles of cricket about the uneven schedule and opportunity.

Misbah says Pakistan needs more games against top teams

The lack of competitive games against each other is mainly because there have been no bilateral series between India and Pakistan, due to political instability and India's policy on sports relations, so Pakistan and India can only engage in the multilateral sport events, like the Asia Cup and ICC tournaments. This policy restricts high-stakes contests to a few per year, which not only does not give Pakistan access to information against one of the strongest sides in cricket, but also means that more opportunities will benefit Pakistan, and it is not limited to India.

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Misbah stated that even playing England and Australia is infrequent, every two years or so, in many cases. There is no doubt that without regularly competing at that level, Pakistani players will only sharpen their skills against inferior competition, which will compromise their ability to improve at the same level as the other cricketing nations. 

Misbah's concern is bigger than just the scheduling; it is about how Pakistan can sustain its position in world cricket. Regularly playing the best teams in the world is the best way to test skill, temperament, and how a player builds endurance, plans, and confidence. Without the benefit of this access, it will curtail the progress of the team.

In short, Misbah-ul-Haq's comments are an urgent request of cricket administrations and policy-makers. If Pakistan is to truly have a fighting chance against the best in the world, regular access to quality cricket is vital; what they are doing is taking away, and it is adversely affecting the progress of Pakistan cricket.