'Danish Kaneria would have scalped 500 wickets if...': Kamran Akmal's scathing criticism of PCB

Kamran Akmal had a straightforward advice for Pakistan cricket team's management and used Danish Kaneria as reference.

Another Test match and Pakistan look set to crash to another defeat in Karachi as 2022 comes to an end. The Babar Azam-led side are currently up against New Zealand in a two-match Test series, with the first game currently taking place in which they trail by 97 runs.

Danish Kaneria during his playing career. (Getty Images)

The hosts initially posted 438 but were totally dismantled by New Zealand's batting, who declared after reaching 612 for nine in response. Kane Williamson was in hot form and grabbed an unbeaten double hundred, overtaking Brendon McCullum for the most double tons by a Kiwi cricketer. Meanwhile, opener Tom Latham clobbered 113 runs in 191 balls, packed with 10 fours. His opening partner Devon Conway narrowly missed out on a 100, smacking 92 runs off 176 deliveries. The hosts trail by 97 runs, after posting 77 for two at Stumps on Day 4.

With Pakistan bowlers failing to impress, former player Kamran Akmal had some special advice for the team management and also used Danish Kaneria as a reference. "It was the last Test match, we should have made a sporting pitch. If we need to go forward, we need to make such decisions. We need to give them tough conditions so that they are used to it outside also", he said on Salman Butt's YouTube channel.

"They should learn when to use pace, swing and bounce. It is time now. Now we can't keep on relying on spinners. We don't have the spinners now like we had in the past like Saeed Ajmal and they have sidelines Yasir Shah. Zulfiqar Babar and Abdul Rehman were there. If Danish Kaneria would be playing now, he would have taken 500 wickets, based on the kind of bowler he was. The way the pitches are being made now, the spinners are not being able to do the job. I feel we need to make a sporting pitch", he further added.

The second Test between both sides is scheduled for January 2, followed by a three-match ODI and five-game T20I series.