Captaincy, Selection, Management: Ex- Pak Players Lash Out on Team

Pakistan are now placed ninth out of 10 teams in the points table.

(Photo: AP)

As Pakistan went down to India once again in a World Cup match, former players, of the Men in Green criticised various facets of the team’s game and its strategy.

Tearaway fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who has been doing post-match shows on his YouTube channel after every Pakistan match, blamed the loss on ‘brainless captaincy’ and ‘clueless management’. In a video, he fiercely criticised Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed for opting to bowl first after winning the toss.

Akhtar also blamed the Pakistan bowlers for not bowling with a plan and being indisciplined in their line and length as well. Speaking of Hasan Ali, Akhtar blamed him for not bowling with enough pace and on the good length spot.

Another legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram lay the blame on the poor ‘first-class structure’ of Pakistani cricket.

“Indian cricket has invested everything in their first class structure over the years. Pakistan have hardly done anything in their first-class system. They have changed it every year. Our first class system is run by a random journalist”.

Wasim Akram, while commentating in the India-Pakistan match

Another former captain Misbah-ul-Haq said that the team was not able to handle the pressure of a big match. In an interview to Cricinfo, He also said that the team is out of sorts as far as selection is concerned as they are not able to identify its six best batsmen and five best bowlers.

Retired all-rounder Shahid Afridi congratulated the Indian team, quoting a previous tweet of his, where he had said that Pakistan’s batsmen need to convert their starts and the fielders need to up their game.

Notably, Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam got out after scoring 62 and 48 respectively, while Pakistan missed a couple of key run out opportunities, during fielding.