Wasim Akram didn't mince words as he criticised senior Pakistani cricketers, calling for a complete overhaul of the squad. After Pakistan's defeat against India in the T20 World Cup, Akram highlighted the players' lack of "game awareness," specifically singling out Mohammad Rizwan.
"Rizwan lacks game awareness," Akram stated bluntly during his analysis on Star Sports. He pointed to Rizwan's dismissal by Jasprit Bumrah, emphasising that Rizwan should have played cautiously against a wicket-taking bowler rather than attempting a risky shot.
Akram also scrutinised other players. He criticised Iftikhar Ahmed's limited shot selection despite his experience and expressed frustration over Fakhar Zaman's perceived lack of understanding of the game's nuances.
Additionally, Akram shed light on internal team dynamics, revealing that Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi were not on speaking terms since the captaincy change. This rift in communication within the team was deemed unacceptable by international cricket standards.
In conclusion, Akram advocated for significant changes, suggesting that merely replacing coaches wouldn't suffice and that a complete team overhaul was necessary. He underscored the importance of playing for the country and called for sidelining players who couldn't cooperate.
The match marked a historic defensive effort by India, defending its lowest total in T20 internationals and extending its dominance over Pakistan in T20Is to 7-1.