'Do You Have 6-7 Players Who Can Replace Them': Shahid Afridi Slams Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram had said that Pakistan are required to let go of the underperforming cricketers and bring in young names to prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi on Friday challenged compatriot Wasim Akram on live television after he demanded that six to seven players from the current team need to be ousted, after a disappointing Champions Trophy campaign at home.
Akram had said that Pakistan are required to let go of the underperforming cricketers and bring in young names to prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
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“Enough is enough. We are losing in white-ball with these players from some couple of years. The time is to take a bold step. What is the bold step? As Waqar Younis was saying, bring young players, fearless cricketers and bring them in white ball cricket," Akram said while speaking on Dressing Room.
While Afridi acknowledged that it is normal to get carried away after losses such as the one against India, he criticised Akram’s remark about dropping a few of Pakistan’s stars altogether.
“I was listening to Wasim bhai that day. Yes, we all got carried away by emotions (after the loss to India). He said that 6-7 players need to be dropped from the side. Wasim bhai, I just have one question for you," Afridi said while speaking on Samaa TV.
“Do you have 6-7 players on the bench who can replace them? Do you have players of those standards in domestic cricket? Have we groomed them in the academies?" Afridi asked.
Pakistan were eliminated from the home tournament after not being able to win a single match. Their last group-stage game against Bangladesh was a washout.
Dissatisfied fans are now calling for sweeping changes in Pakistan’s cricket structure beginning from the very top of the pyramid, days after the first ICC tournament in the country in almost three decades started.
This marks the third straight time Pakistan has bowed out in the group stages of an ICC tournament, after early exits in the T20 World Cup last year and the 2023 ODI World Cup.
At a time when sides have embraced a fearless, aggressive approach, Pakistan seemed to be stuck in the past.
Pakistan’s struggles were glaring, as they showed no urgency, playing a staggering 161 dot deliveries against New Zealand in Rawalpindi and 147 against India in Dubai.
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