Pakistan cricket has been struggling for a while. They finished at the bottom of the ICC World Test Championship, failed to reach the final four in the last three ODI World Cups, and most recently, endured a winless campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy, despite hosting the tournament. Following their Champions Trophy exit, Pakistan traveled to New Zealand, where they lost the first two T20Is within three days. Their poor run of form continues in 2025, having lost eight of their 11 international matches, including five consecutive defeats. Also Read: IPL 2025: Suryakumar Yadav to captain Mumbai Indians in absence of Hardik Pandya In response, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made several changes, revamping the squad and giving younger players a chance. Senior players Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam were dropped. However, the transition hasn’t yielded any results so far. Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf, however, believes the youngsters must be given time and consistent opportunities before any judgments are made. "These are young players. You go to any place, any team in the world, they give the youngsters full freedom. If they give the youngsters a chance, they make sure to give them 10 to 15 matches at a stretch. That is how they become players," he said after the second T20I loss. He also pointed out that criticism has become a constant in Pakistan cricket. "You talk about criticism, I think it has become common in Pakistan," Rauf said. 'We are trying to build our team' Rauf further stressed that the transition phase requires patience and that young players need time to adjust to the international stage. "Everyone who comes into international cricket struggles initially. You talk about criticism, it's become a norm. Everyone just sits and waits for the Pakistan team to lose so that they can talk about it. They have their opinions, but we are trying to build our team," he added. The pacer also pointed out the role of senior players in guiding the youngsters. "We are trying to draft the youngsters in, the seniors are also there. As seniors, we motivate our juniors, and advise them about what's required to succeed in international cricket. The quicker they learn, the better it will be for them," he concluded. Pakistan will face New Zealand in the third T20I on Friday, March 21. Under newly appointed captain Salman Agha, the team has suffered back-to-back losses and will be eager to make a comeback to keep the five-match series alive.