Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar was a frustrated figure while discussing the Mohammd Rizwan-led side’s debacle in the ongoing Champions Trophy. Pakistan crashed out of the tournament on Monday after New Zealand beat Bangladesh, ending their slip hopes of making it to the semi-finals. During a discussion on PTV Sports, Akhtar minced no words while blasting Pakistan captain Rizwan, calling him abnormal. This comes after Akhtar also tore into star batter Babar Azam, following Pakistan’s loss to India.
Akhtar also accused the PCB over their selection criteria and the lack of interest in changing the team dynamics.
“We do not have a personal agenda against the players. If I wasn’t paid, I wouldn’t even be here discussing Pakistan cricket. Honestly, I have nothing to do with this team. I have been doing this since 2011 and I have said it all. I have been seeing this deterioration since 2011. If you make abnormal people captain and make strange selections, this is what the result will be. I have previously worked with captains whose personalities would change thrice in a day,” Akhtar said on PTV Sports.
Former Pakistan captains Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez, who were also part of the discussion, also decided to have a go at the PCB.
“Why don’t you join the system once? Just join once and fix it,” Malik interrupted.
Malik asked Akhtar to join the PCB and fix the mess, to which the latter replied, saying that it’s upto the chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
“Give me the domestic circuit, I will fix it. I will sacrifice my time with my family for the future of Pakistan. I know what my fate will be after three years. I’m still ready to sacrifice,” Akhtar replied.
“Ap abnormal logon ko captain banao gay tau yehi ho ga.”
Shoaib Akhtar on Rizwan pic.twitter.com/iQ4nZ6rKM6
— M (@anngrypakiistan) February 24, 2025
Earlier, Akhtar had blasted Babar for idolising the wrong people.
“Let’s try to sum up Virat Kohli a little bit. Now tell me, who is the hero of Virat Kohli? Sachin Tendulkar has scored 100 centuries, and Virat is chasing his legacy,” Akhtar said on PTV Sports.
“Who is Babar Azam’s hero? Tuk tuk (Without naming any cricketer). You have picked the wrong heroes. Your thought process is wrong. You were a fraud from the beginning. You were caught from the beginning. You made it clear in the ICC Champions Trophy itself that ‘I have become No. 1 for one and half days. You are no No. 1. You promoted the wrong people.”
Pakistan will take on Bangladesh in a dead rubber on Thursday, with both teams out of contention for a place in the semi-finals.
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