With Pakistan's World Cup 2023 campaign in turmoil after back-to-back defeats, criticism mounts against Babar Azam's leadership. The latest defeat against Afghanistan sparked debates over the team's lacklustre show and the need for a substantial transformation in Pakistan's cricket.
The path forward for Babar Azam-led Pakistan in the ongoing World Cup seems fraught with challenges. Following a sequence of defeats, including a shocking loss to Afghanistan, the team finds itself under the critical gaze of experts and former cricketers.
This stumble against Afghanistan appears to be a new low, amplifying the voices of dissent against the team's leadership and strategy.
Babar Azam, the captain of the Pakistani squad, faces considerable heat for what critics label as ‘poor leadership’. Even his own cousin brother and Pakistan's former wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal didn't mince words while expressing his frustrations over the team's dismal performance.
While lashing out at Babar Azam's leadership and team's poor show in the World Cup, Akmal said that he wants Pakistan to continue their losing streak in the remaining World Cup matches to stimulate a change in Pakistani cricket.
"They shouldn't win their upcoming games, then only cricket in Pakistan will get better. They will start the same thing if they get back to form," said Akmal.
While the anchor interrupted Akmal's narrative, suggesting his reluctance to see Pakistan underperform, Akmal defended his perspective, noting, "It is not about losing the matches, but their egos will be dented."
Such setbacks have shifted the spotlight towards the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), prompting experts to question the country's cricketing framework. Concerns around the team's structure, allegations of favoritism, and recurring reports of discord between the players and the captain dominate the discourse. If Pakistan aim to regain their former dominance in cricket, significant transformations, encompassing refined domestic cricket, a transparent selection procedure, and an enhanced player development system, are mandatory.
Amid the mounting controversies post the World Cup losses, PCB's chief, Zaka Ashraf consulted seasoned legendary cricketers Aaqib Javed, Mohammad Yousuf, and the chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq. This meeting aimed to leverage their vast cricketing experiences to revamp the player development process.
Zaka Ashraf said, "These players have served Pakistan at the highest stage and have a treasure of experience under their belts. We hope to utilise their expertise to help ensure our players are developed well in all aspects of the game. In this way, we hope we can produce players in all departments of the game that can serve Pakistan in the future."
Pakistan are currently at fifth place in the points table with four points in five matches and will next face South Africa at the Chepauk Stadium on October 27.
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