Shoaib Akhtar: “These Pakistan players don’t have the skill to play. Players like Inzamam-ul-Haq, Zaheer Abbas and Sachin Tendulkar used to score runs everywhere and in tough conditions. These players don’t have the skill set”
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Iconic 161.3 kph (100.2 mph) fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has slammed the national team, saying “these Pakistan players don’t have the skill to play”.
He noted that the men in green struggle to perform in tough conditions, which didn’t happen in the past.
Akhtar pointed out that former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, legendary batsman Zaheer Abbas and India great Sachin Tendulkar “used to score runs everywhere”, even when the conditions proved challenging for batsmen.
“These Pakistan players don’t have the skill to play. Players like Inzamam-ul-Haq, Zaheer Abbas and Sachin Tendulkar used to score runs everywhere and in tough conditions. These players don’t have the skill set,” the Rawalpindi Express was quoted as saying by journalist Farid Khan on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Pakistan team recently played a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh in Lahore, which they won 3-0.
They then travelled to Bangladesh for three T20Is, but ended up losing 2-1.
Pakistan’s next assignment was a limited overs tour of the West Indies, where they won the T20I series 2-1 but lost the ODIs 2-1.
As for the T20I tri-series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan in Sharjah, the men in green ended up winning that tournament.
Pakistan are now involved in the 2025 Asia Cup, which is being held in the UAE.
They began their campaign with a comprehensive 93-run win over Oman.
Pakistan’s next match will be against arch-rivals India on September 14 in Dubai.
Pakistan squad for UAE T20I tri-series and 2025 Asia Cup: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem