Former Pakistan captain and pace bowling legend Wasim Akram blasted the Pakistan cricket team after their shock loss to Afghanistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday. Akram called the defeat ‘embarrassing’ and called for Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to make ‘fitness test’ mandatory before selection to the national team.
Afghanistan posted their first-ever win over Pakistan in ODI cricket in eight attempts and condemned Babar Azam’s side to their third successive loss in the World Cup 2023. Pakistan posted 282 after batting first with half-centuries from skipper Babar Azam and Abdullah Shafique and useful contributions from Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan. But Afghanistan chased down the target for the loss of just 2 wickets with one over to spare.
“It was embarrassing today. They (Afghanistan) chased 280-290 with 8 wickets in hands which is huge. They nullified the pitch factor completely. And just look at the fitness levels of our players,” Akram told Pakistan sports channel ‘A Sports’.
“We have been screaming here for the past three weeks that they haven’t been through fitness tests in the last two years. Now should I name them individually, their faces are getting broader. Lagta hai roz 8 kilo nihari khate hain (Seems like they are eating 8 kilos of meat every day) there should be some test, you are being paid for playing for your country and there has to be a certain criteria,” Akram said.
Legendary pacer @wasimakramlive lashes out at the Pakistan cricket team following their upset defeat against Afghanistan.#ASportsHD #ARYZAP #ThePavilion #CWC23 #ShoaibMalik #MoinKhan #FakhreAlam #MisbahUlHaq #PAKvAFG pic.twitter.com/RZSaVDSXIS
— ASports (@asportstvpk) October 23, 2023
Akram highlighted that while players were resistant to the fitness protocols established during Misbah-ul-Haq’s tenure as head coach, those standards had a positive impact on the team’s fundamental performance.
“There should be tests. Professionally, you are playing for your country, you are being paid. I am with Misbah. When he was coach, he had that criteria, players hated him. But, it worked for the team. Fielding is all about fitness, and it shows on the field. Now we have come to a stage, where we will pray, do ifs and buts, wait for other teams to lose, then we can reach the semi-finals,” Akram felt.
Speaking on the same program on ‘A Sports Pakistan’, former Pakistan wicketkeeper Moin Khan questioned Pakistan’s schedule as planned by the PCB.
“There was a complete lack of planning for the World Cup. We played 3 months in Sri Lanka including a Test series and then the Asia Cup in this heat. The players looked completely drained out and lethargic on the field. I don’t know who is advising the board, they obviously haven’t played cricket before,” Moin Khan said.
Babar Azam’s Pakistan will next take on South Africa at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday while Afghanistan will face Sri Lanka at the MCA Stadium in Pune next Monday.
