Former all-rounder admits Pakistan are under-performing but says pacer Shoaib is blowing the national team’s problems out of proportion
Mudassar Nazar
Perth: The Pakistan team has been far from impressive in this World Cup — losing first to India by 76 runs and then to the West Indies by 150 runs — and the Misbah-ul-Haq-led side has had to cop some scathing criticism for the same.
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Mudassar Nazar
Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been one of the team’s harshest critics slamming the system and even going on to call Misbah a coward.
Former Pakistani all-rounder, Mudassar Nazar, however said that though the Pakistan team is under-performing, things are not as bad as Akhtar is making it seem.
“I think Akhtar is merely exaggerating the problems in Pakistan cricket. Yes, the team has not played well and there are issues but the way he is going out there and saying things about the captain and players is not right,” Nazar told reporters at the WACA yesterday during UAE’s practice session ahead of today’s World Cup fixture against India.
“Akhtar may say whatever he wants but this team has done well in Test cricket. In ODIs, when your No 1 spinner (Saeed Ajmal) is banned six months ahead of the World Cup, your senior-most batsman and off-spinner (Mohammed Hafeez) is not there and your most successful left-arm pace bowler (Junaid Khan) is absent, it is bound to hurt. I’m disappointed too as I’m a product of the same system. I also cannot digest these performances,” said Nazar, who played 76 Tests and 122 ODIs for Pakistan.
The 58-year-old said that Akhtar & Co’s indulgence in PCB-bashing has become a trend.
“There is a system problem in Pakistan cricket, but not as grave as what Akhtar is making it out to be. PCB-bashing has become very fashionable in Pakistan. While some are genuinely concerned about Pakistan cricket, there are many others, who are simply looking for job offers.”
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