'If I was captain, I'll get hold of that guy...': Akram fumes at Pakistan's dressing room video featuring Babar, Haris
The Pakistan Cricket team's social media team has done some remarkable job throughout the T20 World Cup, giving the fans a glimpse of what transpires behind the scenes, but Wasim Akram is not impressed with the practice.
The Pakistan Cricket team's social media team has done some remarkable job throughout the T20 World Cup, giving the fans a glimpse of what transpires behind the scenes, especially in the dressing room after the team completes a match. The PCB's Twitter handle and YouTube channel frequently uploads videos of what goes on inside the dressing room after Pakistan have won or lost a game.
Be it captain Babar Azam's motivating speech after the defeat to India or coach Matthew Hayden's fiery pep-talk after they qualified for the semifinal – the PCB's social media keeps their fans up to date. However, one person who is not in favour of these videos is former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram, who believes that whatever happens inside a change room should be kept confidential and not highlighted to the world.
"If I was Babar, I would get hold of that guy who is making a video. Sometimes, certain things are personal. I am all for social media, players interacting with their fans and everything. But I have not seen any other team do it in this World Cup? So yeah, the urge to get extra numbers (followers, likes), cut it down. This is too much," Akram said on A-Sports
"There are recordings taking place all the time. Imagine if I am sitting and not knowing that someone is recording - a message that I want to give my team. Just tell him, 'Guys, relax for two days. Do it some other place but not dressing room."
Akram touched upon the topic after the PCB's video from yesterday following Pakistan's win over Bangladesh in a virtual quarter-final. In the video, Babar is seen advising batter Mohammad Haris for getting out without finishing the game for his team. Haris was batting on 31 off 18 balls when Pakistan just seven short of the 128-run target set by Bangladesh, but he perished on the last ball of the 17th over.
"Haris, you have played brilliantly. But these small things will give you confidence, for example, when you finish a game, your level will be different. When the match is in hands, make sure you don't lose a wicket. Our seniors told me that when you finish a match, your confidence level goes up, wherever you play," Babar said in the video.
Waqar Younis joined Akram and agreed with his former captain's assessment that the world should be privy to such team meetings and gatherings. More so because Pakistan cricket has had a history of information getting leaked, players engaging in quarrels and other similar incidents.
"I 100 percent agree with you. Whatever happens inside the dressing room, should stay there. This is a problem not just now but earlier as well when a lot of information was leaked to the media - people used to scream, argue, fight. And now you yourself are recording and showing it to the world," Waqar mentioned.
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