Ex-Pakistan cricket stars express displeasure at team's poor performance
Cricket
Former skipper, Wasim Akram is also not happy with the poor performance of the Pakistan team
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - The former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Ramiz Raja stressed the need for overhauling the entire system of the board citing players know how to play modern-day cricket, however, they appeared shy and timid with their approach in the ICC World Cup 2023.
Like Raja, former skipper Wasim Akram is also not happy with poor performance of the Pakistan cricket team which failed to secure its spot in the semifinals of the World Cup.
On Sunday last, the beleaguered defending champions England outclassed the Men in Green in Kolkata diminishing all hopes to get place in the semifinals.
Talking to media, Ramiz Raja claimed that Pakistani skipper was appeared depressed when he reached home. He said Babar had faced enormous pressure during the world cup matches.
As expected, in a massive backlash, the media has criticized the Pakistani players particularly the skipper, Babar Azam.
“It’s just a World Cup so you have to take the heat somehow. The problem with this team is it has the potential to play modern-day cricket but they have been a bit shy and timid with their approach,” Raja told media.
He said how Babar would do captaincy when the bowlers were not performing well, getting expensive and not taking wickets even with new ball.
Like Raja, the former skipper Wasim Akram also said that it was unfair to blame Babar Azam alone.
He said it was not the captain who was playing on the ground. Babar did mistakes in the ICC World Cup 2023 matches and in the Asia Cup too. But we could not put entire onus on Babar Azam.
“This is a fault of the entire system for the last one year or more where the players don’t know who is the coach. You cannot make him scapegoat,” Wasim said.
Shoaib Malik, the former captain, also joined the senior players and tried to expose flaws of the system through his social media post.
“End of a disappointing campaign for Pakistan. They never got going really at any point. Clear lack of intent was visible. A lot needs to be done, but even for that, intent is important first.”
“Lack of resources. No street smartness from the captain. We have only won against small teams,” Malik said.
