"ICC must be thinking 'should we send teams to Pakistan and keep their Test status alive"- Shoaib Akhtar slams Pakistan for defeat in 1st England Test
Former Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar slammed the side for their inexplicable innings defeat to England in the first Test in Multan. The Men in Green set several unwanted records like becoming the first-ever team to suffer an innings defeat after scoring 500 in an innings.
Pakistan have also lost five Tests after scoring at least 500 in their first innings - the most in history. After scoring 556 in their first essay, the hosts conceded a massive 823/7 to England before succumbing to the pressure with the bat in the second innings and being bowled out for a paltry 220.
Speaking on PTV Sports after the loss, Akthar did not mince words and was quoted as saying by NDTV Sports:
"Fans are saying that Pakistan should withdraw from WTC. I saw some comments. ICC must be thinking 'should we send teams to Pakistan and keep their Test status alive'. It's just disheartening. This is going to hurt Pakistan cricket, fans and the upcoming talents. I want to request the PCB to sort out this mess."
"You will reap what you sow. Over the decades, I have seen the decline. The situation is disappointing. Losing is fine, but the game should be close. However, what we saw over the past two days, they completely gave up hope. This shows that we aren't good enough. England scored 800+ and Bangladesh also beat you," he added.
It was Pakistan's sixth consecutive Test loss, dating back to the 3-0 whitewash in Australia earlier this year.
They have also not won a single home Test since the 2-0 series win against South Africa in February 2021.
"If the captain is selfish, there will be groupism" - Shoaib Akthar
Shoaib Akthar further slammed the Pakistan management and captain Shan Masood for groups within their ranks, resulting in a poor culture.
Pakistan's latest defeat saw them slip to the bottom of the nine-team race in the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) table.
"If your management and captain are weak, there will be groupism. If the captain is selfish, there will be groupism. Same is the case if the coaches are afraid of the captain. The captain calls the shot when it comes to selection. This has been the culture since my playing days," said Akthar.
Pakistan will look to avoid a third consecutive Test series defeat when the second England Test starts at the same venue (Multan) on Tuesday, October 15.