Wasim Akram slams Pakistan team after India loss

10 June, 2024

Pakistan lost by six runs against arch-rivals India which was their second defeat in the World Cup in as many matches.

“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,” Akram said on an Indian sports channel.

He also criticised Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan’s batting in the low-scoring match.

“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," he said.

"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,” he added.

Pakistan decided to bowl first, after winning the toss, on a pitch which with variable bounce. Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf claimed three wickets each while Rishabh Pant was India's highest scorer with a quick knock of 42 as they were dismissed for 119.

In reply, Mohammad Rizwan laid the platform for the chase with a patient knock of 31 but Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals while India's fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah took key wickets to finish with figures of 3-14. Pakistan were restricted to 113-7 in 20 overs.

In Group A, India have one foot in the Super 8 with two wins from their opening two matches while Pakistan have zero points from two losses following their upset by the hosts, the United States, in their first match.