Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has made a scathing attack on Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Pakistan cricket team following their eight-wicket loss against Afghanistan in Chennai. The loss has put Pakistan on the brink of elimination from qualifying to the semifinals.
“You can’t say much after watching this performance. Please put the right man in the right place for god’s sake. Anyone is becoming chairman, for how long will we keep supporting mediocrity. You will keep putting average people at the helm, you will keep receiving such average performances,” Shoaib said on his Youtube channel.
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“This is the true reflection of the PCB that is showing now on television today. This is the direct impact of the choices you have made for the past 20-30 years in cricket. This is the end result you are getting,” he added.
Shoaib says there is not a single cricketer in the current Pakistan team who is inspiring enough for kids to pick up the sport.
“Tell me one thing, does this team have one inspiring cricketer? I have seen the likes of Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram, Imran Khan, Steve Waugh, Allan Border, Viv Richards. Which cricketer in the Pakistan team is inspiring enough for kids to pick up the sport?
“Why do people still watch our videos? We were inspiring the generation.
“I have played for Pakistan, my heart bleeds. I will keep supporting Pakistan. If I were with Babar now, I would have told him to step up as captain. This is the worst that has happened. Now we are playing four teams and let’s win against all of them.
“If he is watching my videos, okay, the system is messed up… leave it. Play the right people. Bring Fakhar back, give him the license to attack. Bring Zaman, look for other options. Play aggressively. Babar should also bat with a strike rate of 120. Pakistan is batting with a strike rate of 80 and 90. Gurbaz was playing at 122. Pakistan plays 150 dot balls in every match. We are scared.”
Shoaib feels Pakistan can still do well in the remaining four matches, but will Babar Azam, the captain, step up?
“Does Babar have the courage? Does he have the stamina? Does he have the ability? Can he act like 1992 Imran Khan? Can Shaheen become Wasim Akram? Can Haris Rauf become Aquib Javed? Can Shadab become Mushtaq Ahmed? Can this team do this? I believe in this team, but do they? God knows,” he said.
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Shoaib also showered praise on Afghanistan for showing maturity to win their match against Pakistan.
“Many congratulations to Afghanistan. They are like our brothers. We have lost to our brother, which is fine. I am very happy for Zadran, Gurbaz… finally, they have shown maturity, which was required. They gave themselves time in the middle. Hats off to their management… Ajay Jadeja and Jonathan Trott, who taught them well.
“For the past fifty years, look at Afghanistan. They don’t have infrastructure, there is no first-class cricket. They have been through worse in the past couple of years and after going through everything, they have proven themselves and defeated Pakistan by eight wickets. They are teaching Pakistan how to play cricket. Well done Afghanistan!”