Ex-Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has lambasted the team again, after yet another loss at the hands of Team India on Sunday. The expressive bowler was critical of PAK team selection, and the mistakes made by skipper Salman Ali Agha and coach Mike Hesson. All this, after they were in excellent position at one stage in the match — at 91/1 in 10 overs.
Salman Ali Agha’s questionable team selection
The non-selection of Mohammad Nawaz was another talking point. “I am very surprised by the coach (Mike Hesson). As far as the captain, he doesn’t know anything anyways (usko kuch patha nahi hai,) what is he captaining, what is he playing in the middle,” Akhtar told PTV Sports.
Shoaib Akhtar further added that Salman Ali was the weakest link in the side. “He is the weakest link of the team. Does he deserve to play in the spot he is playing? No one will discuss this. He is the weakest link in the middle. What does he do? Tell me? He comes at No.6 and for India, you have Hardik Pandya or Tilak coming there. Karo comparison.”
Shoaib Akhtar speaks his mind
Then he pointed out how Hussain Talat’s inclusion in the team was a bad decision for the team. “First of all the team selection was wrong. From 91 in 10 overs , they could have been 140 by 15th and reached 200. The pitch was so good today. If an established player was playing at that point. Hussain Talat came and slowed down [he made 10 runs from 11 balls]. Then Mohammad Nawaz played 19 balls [made 21 runs] and got run out.
“Second, If you had to get Saim Ayub to bowl in the powerplay, get him three overs, then you might as well have picked more fast bowlers. What are they thinking? What’s the process behind team selection – that’s all I want to know. I don’t want to hear anything else. If someone can call me and tell me this is the reason we didn’t pick.”
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