‘They’re sitting on TV but want to play World Cup’: Akram blasts PAK star | Cricket

Legendary Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram took an indirect dig at Imad Wasim for playing the role of a television expert instead of sweating it out in domestic cricket. Wasim didn’t take any names but his television expert mention made everyone guess Imad’s name. During a discussion on A Sports with Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik and Moin Khan, Akram said a few Pakistani cricketers are ‘sitting on television’ instead of playing domestic cricket.

“The players who are busy with Pakistan team are fine but what about others? A couple of them are sitting on television and they want to play for Pakistan. How is that possible?: Akhram said.

The former captain was replying to Misbah’s comments about most of the Pakistani cricketers being busy with national duties. “Players are busy throughout the season. They played Asia Cups, then there was World Cup,” he said.

Imad, in a recent Pakistani television show, was asked by a fan about why he isn’t playing domestic cricket. The left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder said he has other commitments like T10 cricket and hence couldn’t be available for domestic cricket like the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy or the ongoing Pakistan Cup (50-over).

Imad last represented the Jamaica Talhawas in the Caribbean Premier League in September. He last played for Pakistan in a T20I in April 2023 but his name came for discussion after Pakistan spinners Shadab Khan, Usama Mir and Mohammad Nawaz massively underperformed in the World Cup.

The lack of wickets in the middle overs was one of the main reasons behind Pakistan’s below-par show in the World Cup. After winning the first two games, they lost four matches in a row to be on the brink. Wins against Bangladesh and New Zealand, however, gave them some hope of qualifying for the semi-finals, especially after New Zealand started losing their other matches.

The equation in front of them is now simple. First, they’ve got to hope that New Zealand lose today’s match against Sri Lanka or the rain Gods intervene. Then they will have to beat England in their last league game to qualify for the semi-finals.

Pakistan will still have a chance to make it to the last four even if New Zealand win. But in that case, they will have to beat England by a huge margin. Take this for a sample, if New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by 1 run after scoring 300 in a 50-over game, Pakistan will have to win by 130 to go past the Ka e Williamson-led side’s NRR.

Any other result, it will be New Zealand in the semi-finals against India.