Pakistan cricket legend Wasim Akram has expressed that it’s a “blessing in disguise” he isn’t part of the Pakistan cricket team, as the role only invites criticism. He made these comments in an interview with Indian sports website Sportskeeda, where he discussed Shaheen Afridi’s removal as captain before the T20 World Cup 2024 and the frequent changes in the leadership of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Akram highlighted the instability within the PCB, noting, “Three chairmen changed in one year. Ramiz Raja was removed, and Najam Sethi came for three months. Sethi left, and Zaka Ashraf came. After four or five months, Mohsin Naqvi came. How would the team stay consistent?”
He further criticized the rapid changes in team leadership, stating, “Babar Azam was removed from captaincy, Shaheen was appointed. He lost one series and the chairman also got changed in the same period, therefore, they changed the skipper. This is just not on, people make fun of us in world cricket. At least give Shaheen a year to lead and then he could be changed but I don’t know. They don’t take suggestions from us and it’s great I am away from Pakistan cricket. It’s a ‘blessing in disguise’ because it is just criticism, politics.”
Akram also emphasized the importance of Shaheen focusing on his bowling to potentially regain the captaincy, adding, “Shaheen Afridi is an aggressive cricketer, and he is only 24 and has a bright future ahead. The captaincy can be again handed to him, and he only needs to focus on his game.“
In a related discussion, former Pakistani cricket captain Shahid Afridi has sparked debate about Babar Azam’s leadership following Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the T20 World Cup. Afridi suggested that Azam consider stepping down as captain, proposing that a more proactive leader might be needed for the T20 format. Afridi said , “Babar has been fortunate to captain in so many World Cups. Perhaps it’s time for him to focus solely on his batting, which is his true strength. The team might benefit from a captain with a more aggressive approach in T20 cricket.”
The Pakistan cricket team failed to qualify for the Super 8 of the T20 World Cup 2024, leading to their elimination. They lost to debutants USA by five runs in a Super Over match and to India by six runs. On June 11, they managed to defeat Canada by seven wickets. However, a match between the United States and Ireland was abandoned due to rain on June 14, giving both teams one point and ending Pakistan’s hopes of advancing. The final league match against Ireland was merely a formality, after which the team returned home.
