Lahore – Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has voiced strong criticism of the national team’s performance following their defeat to India in the crucial Asia Cup Super Four clash.
Speaking after the match, the “Rawalpindi Express” said that even a total of 200 runs would not have been enough for Pakistan to secure victory, given the weakness of their bowling attack. He questioned the decision-making, noting that if Faheem Ashraf had been given the new ball, he might have been more effective.
Akhtar also criticized the move to use part-time bowler Saim Ayub ahead of specialist spinner Abrar Ahmed. “Abrar is your main bowler, yet you brought in Saim before him. This bowling lineup simply wasn’t good enough. Even with 200 on the board, defending it would have been extremely difficult,” he remarked.
The former pacer was particularly unimpressed with Haris Rauf, pointing out that the speedster failed to claim a single wicket. According to Akhtar, the few dismissals Pakistan managed were largely due to Indian batsmen’s mistakes rather than skillful bowling. “Suryakumar Yadav played a poor shot, that’s why Pakistan got a wicket. Otherwise, our bowling had no real bite,” he said.
He further observed that had Abhishek Sharma batted longer, India would have wrapped up the chase at least five overs earlier. “The only reason the match went to the 19th over was because Abhishek got out. Otherwise, India would have finished it much sooner,” Akhtar noted.
Interestingly, Akhtar also touched on India’s selection, suggesting that leaving out KL Rahul was surprising. “This Indian team didn’t even have KL Rahul, a player who consistently troubles bowlers. Instead, they went with Sanju Samson, who turned out to be the weak link. That’s the only reason the game dragged on till the 19th over,” he added.
The former fast bowler’s remarks reflect growing concerns about Pakistan’s bowling depth and tactical decisions, as the team faces mounting pressure to regroup before their next Asia Cup outing.
