Former Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the current state of affairs in Pakistani cricket. In response to Ravichandran Ashwin's comments, Shehzad sarcastically suggested that Ashwin should not be surprised by the situation, given the ongoing stadium construction projects in Pakistan.
Shehzad has been vocal in his criticism of the PCB, particularly following Pakistan's recent defeats against Bangladesh in a home Test series and their underwhelming performances at the T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup. In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Shehzad used Ashwin's comments as an opportunity to launch further attacks on the PCB.
Ahmed Shehzad takes a brutal dig at PCB while replying to R Ashwin
"Why are you surprised Ashwin? Don't worry, everything is fine here. Can't you see that stadiums are being built over here? Continuous digging is being done. Don't be surprised at all," Shehzad said.
"Are you not seeing that Pakistan is organizing a cup? (Champions One-Day Cup). Just wait and watch the number of players who come out of this tournament. How do we get a battery of fast bowlers and produce players? Are you not seeing this? Why are you surprised, Ravi," Shehzad asked.
The out-of-favour Pakistani batter previously refused to participate in the Champions Cup due to his dissatisfaction with the Pakistan Cricket Board's perceived favoritism, broken promises, and unfair treatment of domestic cricketers. In a video posted on his YouTube channel, R Ashwin reflected on the rich history of Pakistan cricket and expressed concern about the team's current decline.
"Keeping all this aside, Pakistan cricket, to see where it is right now, wasn't possible 10 years ago with Misbah and Younis Khan, even when they used to play in UAE. Back then, it was very tough to beat Pakistan, right," Ashwin had earlier told on his YouTube channel.
Notably, Pakistan's recent 0-2 whitewash against Bangladesh has further exacerbated their decline in the ICC Test rankings. The team has slipped to the eighth position, the lowest ranking they have held since 1965.
Pakistan will look bounce back in their next assignment where they are slated to host England for a three-match Test series beginning on October 7.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
