Pakistan pace icon Shoaib Akhtar: “Saqlain last played cricket in 2002, I don’t want to say this as he is my friend, but I don’t think he has any idea about T20 cricket”
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Pakistan head coach Saqlain Mushtaq doesn’t have any idea about T20 cricket, legendary fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said.
While he didn’t want to criticise him too much as Saqlain is his friend, Akhtar conceded that this is a huge problem.
In the 2022 T20 World Cup, the men in green seemed headed for a first round exit after losing to India and Zimbabwe, but miraculously managed to turn their campaign around and ultimately reached the final, where they lost to England.
Nonetheless, the Rawalpindi Express, who holds the record for the fastest ball bowled in international cricket at 161.3 kph, feels that Saqlain needs to improve his knowledge and approach when it comes to the shortest format.
“Saqlain last played cricket in 2002, I don’t want to say this as he is my friend, but I don’t think he has any idea about T20 cricket,” Akhtar said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Cricwick. “I don’t think this is your forte.”
Pakistan recently lost 3-0 to England, which was their first-ever whitewash on home soil in a Test series consisting of three matches or more.
Babar Azam’s side will now be looking to bounce back in their two-Test series against New Zealand, which began on Monday in Karachi.
Following the Test series, Pakistan and New Zealand will play three ODIs.
Pakistan Squad for New Zealand Test Series: Babar Azam (capt), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Agha Salman, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood and Zahid Mahmood