Pakistan cricket legend Wasim Akram has questioned Pakistan’s recent tour of Zimbabwe, saying such tours would not benefit the team at all, as he felt the organizers should be blamed for the Men in Green’s recent poor performance in the white-ball series against England.
Pakistan was whitewashed by a second-string England team in the ODI series before losing the T20Is 1-2 last month, although they won the Test and T20Is series in Zimbabwe, but suffered a shocking 19-run loss in a T20I game in Harare last week.
Citing the example of India who is currently fielding two different teams in two different corners of the world and invested money to bring in professionals, Akram urged Pakistan to play against tougher opponents more to play better at the international level.
Akram told ARY News: “I want to meet that genius who is organizing tours of Zimbabwe. I want to offer him extra praise and say 'well done, you've done a great job'. It is not going to benefit us. It will only be helpful for them.
Once in four years, I'm ok with that. If you compare with India. Their one team is in Sri Lanka, the other is in England. And they can raise another team. They improved their system 10 years ago. They invested money, brought in professionals.”
He is currently part of Pakistan’s Cricket Committee and often gets recommendations before the team selection and the bowling legend said it is just embarrassing for him, requesting his countrymen to stop recommending players to him.
Akram signed off by saying, “Dear Pakistanis, please... I'm talking about the educated guys. Stop calling. Stop recommendations. This is the 21st century. Before selection, I get calls, 'pick this player, pick that player.' It's a different thing if you want someone to have a look at a player, but to ask to pick that person is embarrassing.”
