Wasim Akram has admitted he fears for the future of the game in Pakistan following his country's disastrous World Cup.
The 36-year-old all-rounder said: "I am worried about the future of Pakistani cricket - we have been losing non-stop since August 2002."
The losing streak was capped this month with Pakistan's worst performance in eight World Cups.
Writing in The Times of India, Wasim said: "For the first time in my 18-year career, I see a paucity of talent in the country.
"There were times when (captain) Waqar (Younis) would sit to pick the team in consultation with some of us seniors, and we would be hard put to find 11 players since everyone was going through a lean patch."
Pakistan began their World Cup campaign with a big loss to Australia, and followed that with defeats to England and arch-rivals India.
Hostility
A wash-out against Zimbabwe ended the team's slim hopes of making the Super Six stage.
Pakistan's players flew home on Friday amid fears of fan hostility.
Many of them were whisked away in cars at the airport to avoid angry supporters, some of whom demonstrated outside players' homes.
In Karachi and Lahore, angry mobs burned effigies of Wasim and Waqar.
Wasim said: "Home should be the last place one should fear going, but our past experience has led to a situation where everyone is dreading the backlash at home."
A three-member panel headed by former test cricketer Colonel Naushad Ali will investigate the Pakistan team's poor performance.
Local media have reported infighting among senior players.
Inzamam-ul-Haq was seen publicly scuffling with Younis Khan and there were rumours that Wasim, the former skipper, and Younis would not talk to each other.
Wasim directly criticized team-mates Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq for their poor form.
"The selectors must take a long hard look at the likes of Shahid Afridi ... Afridi's approach would hardly inspire any captain to persist with him," he wrote.