Former Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim heavily criticized the current Pakistani team for playing an outdated style of cricket in modern times.
Pakistan, the hosts of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, finished last in Group A following a winless campaign, suffering severe defeats to finalists New Zealand and eventual victor India. Their only point came from a washed-out match against Bangladesh; however, they ended below Bangladesh due to a lower net run rate.
Imad, who retired from international cricket, revealed his frustration in a video clip posted on X, confessing that he is often hesitant to watch Pakistan play.
"So, you got to play cricket. Cricket, like it should be played. This is not the right way for me, if you ask me as a cricketer — not even as a Pakistani, just as a cricketer. I watch some of the games the Pakistan team plays, and I feel I just don't want to watch it, but I have to watch it. Eventually, people will lose interest, and they won't come to watch cricket if we keep playing like this," Imad said in a clip shared by Saj Sadiq on X.
The former all-rounder criticized Pakistan's conservative and antiquated strategy, pointing out that a more aggressive and proactive mentality is necessary for modern cricket. He maintained that Pakistan has failed to meet the new standards set by teams like Australia and England.
"So, you see England, Australia — or cricket I can understand — the solution I'm telling you I can understand. Your first instinct should be to go out there and attack the opposition. And if you lose wickets, then you assess the conditions — okay, this is a 250, 260, 300 wicket — whatever. But your first instinct should just be to go out there and attack, not to think, ‘Let's score 250.' We are way behind where the world is," Imad said.
Imad reflected on his previous cautions that went unheeded and disclosed that his demands for change were frequently mocked.
"Well, I've been saying this for years, and people were laughing at me. Firstly, when I started saying these things, even in the team meetings, I used to say these things. The world is going on a different path, and we are playing the same way," he lamented.
Imad's scathing criticism is in line with the opinions of cricket experts and disgruntled supporters who feelthe Pakistan team is unwilling to update their style. Pakistan's performance received harsh criticism despite hosting the event, and many are demanding that their cricketing strategy be completely changed to meet the changing needs of international cricket.
