Pakistan's T20I series against Ireland got off to a worst start possible as they suffered a five-wicket against the hosts in the opener on May 10. Meanwhile, Pakistan's former wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal criticised the team and captain Babar Azam, accusing them of playing selfishly in the first T20I which led to their defeat. This criticism comes after Ireland convincingly defeated Pakistan in the first match of the three-game T20I series. This marked a historic win for Ireland, as it was their first ever T20I victory over Pakistan.
Kamran Akmal comes down heavily on Pakistan after loss against Ireland
In a scathing Youtube video, former Pakistani cricketer Kamran Akmal launched a harsh critique of the national team. His criticism seemed to target captain Babar Azam as well, though not explicitly. Akmal wasn't alone in slamming Pakistan players as many other former Pakistani cricketers have also voiced their concerns about the current team's performance. Akmal's main criticism focused on the team's lack of unity. He observed that the players appeared disconnected and seemed to be prioritizing personal goals over team success. He stressed that this approach would only hold the team back from achieving its full potential.
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Akmal offered some advice for the Pakistani team to turn things around. He emphasized that winning requires not only good cricket but also a shift in focus away from personal achievements. Prioritising the team's needs is crucial, and successful teams consistently demonstrate this.
Akmal went on to suggest that the team management is likely already aware of this issue. He pointed to Babar Azam as an example, claiming that Azam's focus on matching Virat Kohli's record led him to take too long to score his fifty, and then criticize the team's overall intent. This highlights how prioritizing personal milestones can be detrimental to the team's performance.
"We will get better when we will try to play good cricket. The players must think about the team and we will continue to lose if things stay like this. I am looking that players are prioritising personal goals which is not good for the side. The team management will soon identify this," Kamran Akmal said.
Akmal wasn't finished with his criticism. He took aim at the Pakistani batsmen's mindset, suggesting they were content with scoring a meagre total of 170-180 runs. According to Akmal, modern cricket is much faster paced, and even a team like Ireland can chase down such a score.
To further emphasize his point, Akmal sarcastically suggested Pakistan bring back legendary players like Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, and Mohammad Hafeez. This name-dropping was a clear dig at the current bowling attack's inability to restrict runs and take wickets during the crucial middle overs.
"If you score just 182 runs against a side like Ireland, you know how fast modern-day cricket has become, a team like Ireland also gets the chance to chase it down. If you want to do this, if your mindset is restricted till scoring 170-180, then you need to bring Saeed Ajmal to bowl in the middle-overs. You have to bring Shahid Afridi to bowl those overs. You have to bring Mohammad Hafeez, who used to bowl the middle-overs and pick wickets consistently," Akmal concluded.
Pakistan will look to bounce back when they face Ireland in the second T20I which is scheduled to be played on May 12.
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