New Delhi, September 7 (Daily Kiran) : Pakistan’s cricket team has made significant changes ahead of the third Test against England, following two consecutive humiliating defeats. Seven players have been dropped from the squad as the team looks to regroup.
Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar shared his insights on the situation during an appearance on the show “Outside Edge.” He stated that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is quite disheartened with the current players and sees little hope for them moving forward. Akhtar noted that the PCB’s strategy is to replace the existing squad with new talent, aiming to bring in players who are genuinely committed to representing Pakistan. He believes the PCB is heading in the right direction by looking to the future.
Despite the shake-up, Akhtar emphasized the need to protect the careers of key players like Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf. He expressed concern for their futures, stating, “I hope that during this transition, we can safeguard the careers of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf. They still have a lot of cricket left in them.”
Akhtar also revealed that he had spoken with a PCB official who expressed a lack of expectations for the current team during the England tour. According to the official, the focus is now on preparing the next generation of players for major competitions. Akhtar conveyed that the PCB official described the current state of Pakistan cricket as being on “life support,” suggesting it could take at least two years for the national setup to recover.
In their last outing, Pakistan suffered a 194-run defeat at Lord’s, followed by a loss by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley. The batting performance has been particularly disappointing throughout both Test matches. The third Test is set to begin on September 9 at Edgbaston, where the team hopes to turn their fortunes around.
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