Former fast bowler of Pakistan cricket team Shoaib Akhtar is once again in the news for his statement. Recently he had made serious comments on Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, but after a few hours he took a U-turn from his own statement.
In fact, during a conversation with ABP news channel, Shoaib Akhtar had even called Mohsin Naqvi “incompetent” and “illiterate”. His statement created a stir in Pakistan cricket. However, the very next day when he appeared as an expert on a Pakistani news channel, he clarified that he was not referring to Mohsin Naqvi, rather he was talking about the major problems of the Pakistan cricket system.
What did Akhtar say while clarifying the statement?
Shoaib Akhtar said on Pakistani channel that his words were misrepresented. He claimed that the words “incompetent” and “illiterate” were not directed at any particular person but were pointing towards shortcomings in cricket administration. He also said that Mohsin Naqvi wants to help Pakistan cricket, but he is not getting the right advice.
However, Akhtar also admitted that he is definitely angry with Naqvi. His anger is about taking a U-turn on the decision of boycott against India during the T20 World Cup. Akhtar says that the entire cricket community had supported that decision, but later he changed his decision.
Questions raised on the fitness of Babar and Shaheen
During his interview, Akhtar also raised questions on the performance of the team’s star players Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi. He believes that Shaheen is not completely fit at the moment and his bowling does not seem to have the same pace as before.
Regarding Babar Azam, he said that this T20 format is not completely suitable for him. If he has to be kept in the team, then he should be played as an opener only, because he is not proving to be very effective in the middle order.
Everyone is responsible for the defeat
Akhtar did not blame only the players or the board for the team’s poor performance. He said that the cricket board, media and former players are all responsible for this situation. According to him, Pakistan did not pay much attention to identifying the right players and strengthening the cricket infrastructure, the effect of which is now clearly visible in big tournaments.
After the defeat against India, Pakistan’s problems have increased and now the journey ahead is not going to be easy for the team. If the performance does not improve soon, there will be a danger of being out of the tournament.
