Following Pakistan’s crushing defeat by India in the T20 World Cup 2024, former captain Wasim Akram has blasted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the national squad with criticism. The renowned cricket player resorted to social media and shared a scathing video in which he demanded major adjustments within the squad and emphasized the necessity of taking decisive action to address the persistent problems in Pakistani cricket.
Akram’s Bitter Rebuke
The day following the India-Pakistan game, Akram let his displeasure show when he said it was better to lose with six or seven fresh players than to keep playing with seasoned international cricketers who didn’t know how to play the game. He criticized important players like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Babar Azam as well, stating that the T20 World Cup was not the right moment to ponder the captaincy narrative.
“The day was extremely depressing for the Pakistan cricket squad. I say this all the time: in every game, there are always wins and losses. However, given how they lost the game, you or I need to inform the PCB of the issue. Why is this what we have to do? We need reforms right now because we’ve had enough. We must add six or seven more players. With the new youngsters, we will lose if we must. We’ll support them and form a formidable squad,” Akram fervently said.
Demands for Awareness and Leadership
As he confronted the players’ lack of situational awareness, Akram’s irritation was evident, and he chastised Mohammad Rizwan in particular for his poor decision-making. Situational awareness is not something that can be taught to you by a coach or captain. Whom you must eliminate and whom you must assault. And you cannot be spoon-feeding everything,” he remarked, bringing up Rizwan’s misguided attempt to dismiss Jasprit Bumrah, India’s best bowler.
An Appeal to PCB Chairman
Akram made a clear plea for the PCB chairman to act decisively in his video. “I have a request for the chairman of PCB: take a bold step, forget about who is angry for not getting captaincy, you are working for the country, stop these things,” he called on the chairman, emphasizing the need to putting the good of the nation above personal concerns.
Analysis of Matches
At the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, the high-stakes match between India and Pakistan took place. Pakistan was unable to meet the modest target of 120 runs. The Pakistani batters battled, finally managing a pitiful 113 runs for the cost of 7 wickets despite the good pitch conditions.
We have seen better pitches from New York than this one. After Rizwan batted for ten or twelve overs, you attempted to sweep Bumrah, their finest bowler. We can no longer stand this; therefore, I ask the PCB chairman to grant us a respite. Despite my generally upbeat nature, am I truly on the verge of passing out? “I don’t think we should be able to advance to the Super 8 stage,” Akram declared in closing.
Pakistan’s position in the tournament
Pakistan is in danger of being eliminated from the T20 World Cup due to their performance. Their fate is currently out of their control since their advancement to the Super 8 stage is dependent on the results of other teams’ games.
Wasim Akram’s passionate appeal, which calls for a thorough overhaul to rebuild and strengthen the national squad for upcoming challenges, reflects the profound sadness and despair of Pakistani cricket fans.
