T20 World Cup: It has become embarrassing, Akram blasts Pakistan after dismal show against India

New Delhi:  Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has lambasted the Babar Azam-led current men’s senior team for its dismal performance against arch-rivals India in a T20 World Cup 2024 match in New York on Sunday. Despite being in the driver’s seat for most of the match, Pakistan fell prey to their agonising batting in the middle overs while chasing a modest total of 120 at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan were 80/4 in 14 overs and required 40 off 36 balls to outclass arch-rivals India before Jasprit Bumrah returned for his second spell. The premier pacer picked Mohamad Rizwan (31) and Iftikhar Ahmed (5) in the 15th and 19th over respectively to restrict them to 113/7 in 20 overs.

India won the match by six runs after once being in the back seat in the encounter.

Giving his verdict on the Pakistan team, Akram criticised the lack of game awareness of the senior batters.

“Pakistan ko dushman ki zarurat nahi hai, ye khudi bahut hain (Pakistan doesn’t need an enemy, they are plenty themselves). Now should we put a pacifier in their mouths? Now we have to explain to them what situation awareness is. Babar will explain, the coach will explain,” Akram said on Star Sports.

“These batsmen have been playing for the last 8-10 years. Now should I tell Rizwan that the main bowler has come for one over, to take a wicket? You didn’t hit a boundary after 10 overs. Didn’t even try. So even 120 couldn’t be chased,” he added.

The former pacer further said the Pakistan team has descended to a point where it has become “embarrassing” to support them.

“Now it has started to become embarrassing. As a Pakistani, I want to back the Pakistan team. But there’s a limit to everything,” Akram said while slamming the Pakistan team.

Pakistan have lost to co-hosts USA and India in their first two Group A matches in the tournament. Their hopes to enter the Super Eight stage are bleak after the consecutive defeats and they will next play Canada in New York on Tuesday.

–IANS