Cricket
‘What’s the plan? Flight EK 601 to Dubai’: Furious Wasim Akram lashes at Pakistan stars after early T20 World Cup exit
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Pakistan were knocked out in the group stage of the T20 World Cup on Friday after the game between the United States and Ireland was washed out in Lauderhill. Babar Azam’s men, who faced a shock defeat to the USA in their opening match before a close loss to India, required Ireland to beat the hosts in Florida, but incessant rains in the region didn’t even allow the toss to take place.
The side is facing significant criticism for its poor performances all through the tournament, and former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram didn’t shy away from trolling his own side following its elimination from the competition. Akram reacted to USA qualifying for the Super Eight stage on ICC’s official Instagram account, and while he congratulated Monank Patel’s side, Akram had an unfiltered message for the Babar Azam-led Pakistan team.
“Congratulations to USA, They’ve done amazingly well. When you talk about globalization of the game, this is it. USA qualified for the Super Eight, they deserve to be there. They defeated Pakistan, in their group match. For Pakistan, what’s the plan? EK 601 (flight number) to Dubai, to their respective cities. From then, we will see what happens,” said Akram.
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This wasn’t the first time when Akram was publicly furious at the Pakistan side. After the defeat to India last week, the former Pakistan pacer – who lifted the 1992 World Cup title with the side – pointed out that the players don’t have a sense of responsibility in the current setup.
“Pakistani players think that if they don’t perform well, the coaches will be sacked, and nothing will happen to them,” Akram said during the broadcast after the loss to India.
“It is time to keep the coaches and change the entire team.”
Throughout the tournament, Pakistan’s team was plagued by allegations of internal discord, with accusations that some players were selected based on favoritism rather than merit. According to PTI, the side is divided into three groups, with Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan all upset with one another.
What happens next for Pakistan?
The side will face Ireland in its final match in the T20 World Cup on Sunday and will look to end the campaign with a win, weather permitting. Severe actions from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are expected once the players land home, with a report also suggesting that the players will likely face pay-cuts.
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