‘Time to change entire team’: Wasim Akram livid as Pakistan fail to chase 120 in IND vs PAK

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram did not mince words as he slammed the Pakistan batters for failing to score 120 runs against India at the Nassau County Stadium in New York on Sunday. Pakistan lost their second consecutive match of the T20 World Cup when they collapsed chasing a small target. Akram was furious with some of the batters’ dismissals and called for a complete overhaul of the team to improve the team’s performance.

Mohammad Rizwan has no game awareness: Akram

“They have been playing cricket for 10 years, and I can’t teach them. Rizwan has no game awareness. He should have known that Bumrah was given the ball to take wickets and that the wise thing would have been to play his deliveries cautiously. But Rizwan went for a big shot and lost his wicket,” Akram said on Star Sports.

Mohammad Rizwan, who was set, got out at a crucial juncture when Jasprit Bumrah came to deliver his second spell. The wicket proved costly, as Pakistan could not recover from that position.

No mercy for Iftikhar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman too

Akram also bashed Iftikhar Ahmed and Fakhar Zaman for lacking the game awareness.

“Iftikhar Ahmed knows one shot on the leg side. He has been a part of the team for years but doesn’t know how to bat. I can’t go and tell about the game awareness to Fakhar Zaman. Pakistani players think that if they don’t perform well, the coaches will be sacked, and nothing will happen to them. It is time to keep the coaches and change the entire team,” he said.

Wasim Akram takes dig at Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi

Akram took a dig at Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and pacer Shaheen Afridi for not being on talking terms since the change of captaincy. Afridi was replaced by Babar Azam as the captain of the team before the T20 World Cup. Although Akram did not take any names, it was clear he was talking about the duo.

“There are players who don’t want to talk to each other. This is international cricket, and you play for your country. Make these players sit at home,” he said.