“Make them sit at home”: Wasim Akram demands removal of Shaheen Afridi and Babar Azam from Pakistan team
Former player Wasim Akram was furious with Pakistan after they couldn’t chase 120 runs against India in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The Men in Green were restricted to 113/7 by the Indian bowlers. Pakistan were considered favorites when they bowled out the rivals for 119 in 19 overs.
However, the Indian bowlers hit back, with Jasprit Bumrah taking three wickets. Hardik Pandya added two scalps to his bowling figures. Mohammad Rizwan (31) was the highest run-scorer for his team, but his dismissal proved to be the turning point of the match.
Akram demanded a complete change in the team to improve the performance. He hit out at Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed and Fakhar Zaman for lacking the game awareness.
“They have been playing cricket for 10 years, and I can’t teach them. Rizwan has no game awareness. He should have known that Bumrah was given the ball to take wickets and that the wise thing would have been to play his deliveries cautiously. But Rizwan went for a big shot and lost his wicket.
“Iftikhar Ahmed knows one shot on the leg side. He has been a part of the team for years but doesn’t know how to bat.
“I can’t go and tell about the game awareness to Fakhar Zaman. Pakistani players think that if they don’t perform well, the coaches will be sacked, and nothing will happen to them. It is time to keep the coaches and change the entire team,” he said on Star Sports.
He launched a scathing attack on Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi. The two stars are not on talking terms since the pacer was sacked as captain and was replaced by Azam.
Akram didn’t take any names, but it was clear that he was taking a dig at the two-star players.
“There are players who don’t want to talk to each other. This is international cricket, and you play for your country. Make these players sit at home,” he added.
Pakistan are almost out of the Super 8 stage race after their back-to-back defeats.
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