Shoaib Akhtar slams Pakistan team after defeat to Afghanistan: 'We are scared, we don't play fast'

Pakistan bowling great Shoaib Akhtar ripped into Babar Azam and Co. after the Men in Green suffered their first-ever loss in an ODI to Afghanistan on Monday. The eight-wicket defeat was Pakistan’s third consecutive loss in World Cup 2023 and has pushed them to the brink of elimination.

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Despite Pakistan scoring a solid 282/7 batting first on a tricky pitch, their bowlers and fielders disappointed big time as Afghanistan completed the chase without much pressure.

Pakistan great Wasim Akram in his scathing attack criticised the team’s fitness and fielding standards and now Akhtar has slammed the team’s cautious approach while batting.

“I have played for Pakistan, my heart bleeds. I will keep supporting Pakistan. If I had been with Babar now I would have told him to step up as a captain. This is the worst, which has happened. Now we are playing four teams and let’s win them all,” Shoaib said on YouTube.

“If he is watching my videos, okay the system is messed up…leave it. Play right people. Bring Fakhar back, and give him the license to attack. Bring Zaman, and 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 120. Pakistan plays 150 dot balls in every match. We are scared, we don’t play fast.”

Akhtar also added that there’s not one inspiring cricketer in the current Pakistan team.

“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,” he said. “Why people still watch our videos. We were inspiring the generation.”

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The former pacer blasted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for how they have been managing the game in the country.

“You can’t say much after watching this performance. Please put right man for the right place for god sake. Anyone is becoming chairman, for how long we will keep supporting mediocrity? You will keep putting the average people at the helm, you will keep receiving such average performances,” Shoaib said.

“This is the true reflection of the PCB what is showing now on the 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.

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