Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan’s early elimination from the Champions Trophy 2025 elicited strong feelings from fans and retired cricketers alike. The former skipper and bowling legend Wasim Akram vented his ire at Mohammad Rizwan’s team following their thumping defeat to arch-rivals India last Sunday.
Wasim Akram Lambast Pakistan Team
He demanded a total revamp of the team, recommending that underperforming players be dropped and replaced with fresh talent to prepare for the next T20 World Cup. But Akram’s remarks did not go down well with another ex-captain, Shahid Afridi.
“Enough is enough. We are losing in white-ball with these players from some couple of years. The time is to take a bold step. What is the bold step? As Waqar Younis was saying, bring young players, fearless cricketers, bring them in white ball cricket.
Even if you have to make 5-6 big changes, do that, lose for the next six months, support those players. Start making the 2026 T20 World Cup team from now,” Akram stated on Pakistan’s TV show, Dressing Room.
Also Read: Champions Trophy: India Vs Australia Final? Michael Clarke Predicts Narrow Win For Men In Blue
Shahid Afridi Hits At Wasim Akram
Though Afridi acknowledged that it is only natural to become emotional after such a big defeat as against India, he differed with Akram’s idea of benching some of Pakistan’s main players altogether.
“I was listening to Wasim bhai that day. Yes, we all got carried away by emotions (after loss to India). He said that 6-7 players need to be dropped from the side. Wasim bhai, I just have one question for you. Do you 6-7 players on the bench who can replace them?
Do you have the players of those standards in domestic cricket? Have we groomed them in the academies?,” Afridi said on Samaa TV.
“We may drop the players, but who will we bring? Even if we do that, people will start crying about it again. They (PCB) will say that we are preparing for the World Cup. And once it sends, the surgery will begin again.”
Pakistan’s Poor Outing
Pakistan had a torrid outing in the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 with no wins in the league game and ended up at the bottom of the table.
