T20 World Cup 2024: Wasim Akram Comes Hard At Pakistan After India Loss

In the aftermath of former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar's pointed critique of Pakistan's performance in their recent run-chase against India, another revered figure in Pakistan cricket, Wasim Akram, added his dynamic voice to the discourse. Speaking on the official broadcasting platform, Akram didn't hold back, delivering a fiery assessment of the Pakistani batters' conduct during their pursuit of India's target. Despite their decade-long presence in international cricket, Akram spared no one in his evaluation, including wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, despite Rizwan's commendable top-scoring contribution of 31. Akram's critique was particularly incisive regarding Rizwan's aggressive shot off the first delivery of Jasprit Bumrah's second spell. Akram emphasized Rizwan's seeming lack of strategic acumen in identifying Bumrah as the primary threat. Instead, he suggested that Rizwan should have adopted a more cautious approach against the right-arm pacer, who was rightly awarded the Player of the Match for his stellar performance.

In his impassioned analysis, Akram underscored the need for Pakistani batters to display greater situational awareness and adaptability, especially against top-tier bowlers like Bumrah. His commentary reflected a deep concern for the tactical nuances of the game and a fervent desire for Pakistan's cricketing success. By holding players accountable and urging them to elevate their game, Akram epitomized the uncompromising standards expected from Pakistani cricketing legends.

“They've been playing cricket for 10 years, and I can’t teach them. Rizwan has no game awareness. He should've known that Bumrah was given the ball to take wickets and that the wise thing would've been to play his deliveries cautiously. But Rizwan went for a big shot and lost his wicket,” said former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram in a recent interview. 

Akram's scrutiny extended to Iftikhar Ahmed, with a scathing assessment of Ahmed's batting proficiency. Akram boldly stated that Ahmed exhibited a severe limitation in his skillset, heavily favoring a single shot towards the leg side despite his extensive experience. Similarly, Fakhar Zaman didn't escape Akram's critique, as he attributed to him the same deficiency in game awareness as he did for Ahmed.

Akram highlighted a concerning trend in Pakistani cricket where support staff often face consequences for players' subpar performances. Emphasizing this pattern, the 58-year-old remarked that players have grown accustomed to retaining their positions despite underperformance. He advocated for a reversal of this leniency, proposing that the backend team should be retained while players face the prospect of being replaced.

"Pakistani players think that if they don’t perform well, the coaches will be sacked, and nothing will happen to them. It's time to keep the coaches and change the entire team,” concluded Akram.