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Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal sharply criticized both the players and the overall structure of Pakistan cricket after the team’s 0-2 whitewash against Bangladesh.
Akmal came out with sharp criticism, saying that he did not see things changing for a long time, especially because of the mentality of the players and the ego of non-cricketing individuals.
Pakistan slips to eighth place in WTC table
Pakistan’s defeat to Bangladesh in the two-match series was sealed on Wednesday when they lost the second Test in Sylhet by 78 runs. They lost the first Test by 104 runs in Mirpur.
On the first day, Pakistan’s decision to bowl first seemed correct when Mohammad Abbas dismissed Mahmudul Hasan Joy with the second ball of the match, and even when they had Bangladesh at 116/6. But Liton Das scored a brilliant century and gave some hope to the team by taking important stands with the lower order. He scored 126 runs while the next highest score was 29.
Bangladesh’s reply with the ball was even more brutal. Only two players of Pakistan could cross the figure of 25 and one of them was bowler Sajid Khan. Taijul Islam and Nahid Rana gave Bangladesh a slight lead by taking three wickets each.
Bangladesh performed much better with the bat in the second innings. Joy scored a half-century and so did Liton. Experienced Mushfiqur Rahim also scored a national record 14th Test century and gave Pakistan a challenging target of 437 runs.
Khurram Shahzad performed well for Pakistan, taking 4-4 ​​wickets in both the innings. Pakistan’s goal never really looked good. Even though Mohammad Rizwan scored 94 runs, and Shan Masood and Salman Ali Aga scored 71 runs, Taijul Islam’s six wickets stopped them in their tracks.
The 2-0 win has lifted Bangladesh to No. 5 in the World Test Championship table, while Pakistan has fallen to No. 8. Pakistan has now also managed to lose 7 consecutive tests.
“Cricket will not improve when egos of non-cricketers are involved” – Kamran Akmal
After the defeat, Akmal spoke on the Game Plan YouTube channel and strongly criticized the Pakistan team for its failures. He started by congratulating the Bangladesh team before attacking Pakistan.
“Many congratulations to Bangladesh and the entire country,” he said. “Terrific cricket, no doubt about it. Despite everything they went through – the protests, the government situation – they never went away from their core principles. Big achievement.”
However, Akmal said for his compatriots that there is nothing left for them but shame. “There is nothing left but shame,” he said. “We have been saying the same things for six or seven years. Nothing has changed.”
He attacked the higher officials and said that their arrogance was holding the team back. “Cricket will not improve when egos of non-cricketers are involved,” he said. “When you are selected by parachute, qualifications and skills are void for you. Where there is real fault, there will be no accountability, no criteria for performance.”
Not a single player is unfit in PSL – Kamran Akmal
He also criticized the players’ attitude and prioritizing the PSL over their national duties. “Not a single player is ever unfit in the PSL,” he said. “Domestic cricket starts, and fitness sheets start coming. No one will come during the PSL. When this is the mentality, how will cricket improve?”
He also said that Pakistan’s treatment of domestic players was not fair and neither had they set strict fitness standards. He said, “A player who can score 100, 200 runs, bowl 18 overs in a day – you are ending his cricket career because he couldn’t even take a jump.” “Two kilometres, if he is even half a minute behind, you say he is not fit to play. First look at yourself – who is taking cricketing decisions.”
He made a direct comparison to the behavior of India and the Men in Blue with senior players like Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara after time-out. “Pujara was dropped, Ajinkya Rahane was dropped, Shikhar Dhawan was dropped – how big a performer was he?”. He said. “Cricket first, team first. Here they bring friendship on the field.”
When asked about the way forward, he said that things will not improve for at least half a decade and will not improve unless some major decisions are taken.
“Practically, I don’t think things will improve in the next four or five years. It will continue the way it is. If you want to get better, you have to make big, tough decisions. Otherwise nothing will improve.”
Also read: ICC brutally punished Salman Ali Aga just before becoming Pakistan Test captain!
Pakistan’s upcoming schedule
Pakistan’s next two series in WTC are abroad. They will play a two-match series in the West Indies in July before playing a three-match series in England in August. Pakistan has not won any Test match away from home since July 2023.
They have dropped to 8th in the league table, and with the whitewash, the Men in Green’s dream of qualifying for the top two spots is over.
