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[Saba Sports News] Former Pakistan cricket captain Wasim Akram has criticized his national team and called for changes in the playing XI after their humiliating loss to India in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. Pakistan’s hopes of progressing to the Super 8 stage are minimal after their six-run defeat to their arch-rivals, prompting Akram to call for a major revamp of the squad.
The Men in Green aimed to upset India after restricting them to 119 on a difficult batting track. However, their batters failed to capitalize, crumbling under the pressure of India’s quality bowling attack led by Jasprit Bumrah.
Akram did not mince his words, demanding the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) bring in six to seven new players immediately, arguing it was better to use new players than persist with the current crop who lacked basic game awareness.
“It was a very sad day for the Pakistan cricket team. There is always win and loss in the game, but the way they lost the match, either I or you have to tell the PCB what is going wrong. Why do we have to do this? Enough is enough, we need changes now. We need to bring in new players, 6-7 of them. If we have to lose, we will lose with the new kids. We will back them and make a fighting team,” Akram said in a video on Twitter.
Akram particularly confronted opener Mohammad Rizwan, questioning his decision to try and sweep Bumrah rather than seeing him off. He also addressed captain Babar Azam and star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, urging them to set aside the captaincy saga and focus solely on the World Cup.
“A captain and a coach cannot teach you situational awareness. Who you have to see off, who you have to attack. You cannot be spoon-fed everything. It was the best New York pitch we have seen. Rizwan has batted for 10-12 overs, and you try to sweep their best bowler – Bumrah? I want the PCB chairman to give us a break because we cannot take this anymore. I am a positive person, but getting almost knocked out? I don’t think we deserve to qualify for the Super 8 stage,” Akram added.
The legendary pacer believes this is a wake-up call for Pakistani cricket and that these glaring issues should no longer be brushed aside.
“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,” Akram concluded.