Legendary pacer Wasim Akram expressed his disappointment with the Pakistan team following their recent loss in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 on Sunday.
Pakistan suffered a narrow six-run defeat against arch-rivals India, marking their second consecutive loss in the tournament.
Read more: Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah not on talking terms: Wasim Akram
“Pakistani players believe that if they don’t perform well, the coaches will be sacked, and nothing will happen to them. It’s time to retain the coaches and change the entire team,” Akram stated on an Indian sports channel.
He also criticized the batting performances of Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan in the low-scoring match.
“Iftikhar Ahmed knows only one shot on the leg side. Despite being part of the team for years, he doesn’t know how to bat. I can’t teach game awareness to Fakhar Zaman,” he remarked.
Read more: Kamran Akmal apologizes for disrespectful comments on Sikh community
“They have been playing cricket for 10 years, and I can’t teach them. Rizwan lacks game awareness. He should have known that Bumrah was brought on to take wickets, and the smart move would have been to play his deliveries cautiously. Instead, Rizwan went for a big shot and lost his wicket,” he added.
After winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bowl first on a pitch with variable bounce. Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf each claimed three wickets, while Rishabh Pant was India’s highest scorer with a quick 42, leading to India’s dismissal for 119.
In response, Mohammad Rizwan laid the foundation for the chase with a steady 31, but Pakistan lost wickets regularly. India’s fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah took crucial wickets, finishing with figures of 3-14. Pakistan was restricted to 113-7 in 20 overs.
In Group A, India is on the verge of securing a spot in the Super 8 with two wins from their opening matches, while Pakistan has zero points from two losses, including an upset by hosts the United States in their first match.