‘Don’t play this type of cricket, this isn’t anyone’s uncle’s team’: Shoaib Akhtar slams Pakistan's team selection

Akhtar lashed out at the Pakistan team’s think tank for not making the right selections. He also asserted that if the players continue to play ‘this way’, the team will keep on getting negative results.

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar has slammed the Pakistan team for not playing according to the requirements of modern-day cricket. The Babar Azam led-side has recently returned from a successful tour of Africa where they had defeated South Africa in the limited-overs leg and then outclassed Zimbabwe in their own backyard. However, a few former players, including Akhtar, have been raising their voices for an improvement in the ‘type of cricket’ the team is playing.

Shoaib Akhtar: File photo (Screengrab)

While speaking to PTV Sports, Akhtar lashed out at the Pakistan team’s think tank for not making the right selections. He also asserted that if the players continue to play ‘this way’, the team will keep on getting negative results.

“There is no injustice as long as Pakistan is winning. If somebody misses out, then that is ok. There was a series going on so it wasn’t necessary to criticise them during it. We support them so that they can make the right decisions. Now that the series is over, I am shouting my lungs out to say, ‘don’t play this type of cricket’. This is not acceptable. If you keep going this way, you will keep failing,” said Akhtar.

“You don’t know what you are supposed to do with Rizwan. Rizwan also has to start thinking. This isn’t anyone’s uncle’s team that you can open in each format of the sport. You have to adjust the role given to you by the team. As long as Pakistan is winning, it doesn’t matter who it is or where he is coming from, a player should be performing and performing up to my wishes and according to the new brand of cricket’s requirements. It is as simple as that. If you don’t, then there is the exit, you can leave. Don’t misbehave, just don’t select them,” he added.

Akhtar further opined that a ‘backward mindset’ is being carried out in the national cricket team and asked the Pakistan Cricket Board to take note of that and curb it as soon as possible.

“I think the PCB must take a notice of the backward mindset being carried by the national team. They are carrying it forward and shouldn’t. They should send a strong message to the management. They should tell them that this is the kind of cricket we want to play. This is Test cricket for us and this is the kind of strike rate I require from the captain and the team. They need to identify the talent and their respective roles. Select the right people, those who deserve it. They should demand that,” he concluded.