Pakistan legend Wasim Akram has raised questions over the fitness of Pakistani failures after their embarrassing eight-wicket defeat at the hands of Afghanistan in Chennai on Monday (October 23).

With this defeat, Pakistan are now on the brink of elimination from the showpiece event. They need to win their remaining four games and hope that other results go their way to secure a place in the semi-final.

Speaking on A Sports, Wasim expressed his disappointment over the loss and highlighted the players’ below-par fitness levels.

“It was embarrassing today. They [Afghanistan] chased 280-290 with 8 wickets in hands which is huge. They nullified the pitch factor completely. And just look at the fitness levels of our players,” Akram said.

“We have been screaming here for the past three weeks that they haven’t been through fitness tests in the last two years. Now should I name them individually, their faces are getting broader. Lagta hai roz 8 kilo nihari khate hain (Seems like they have kilos of meats every day),” he added.

According to Akram, there shouldn’t be any compromise with fitness when a person takes up sports professionally.

“There should be a test in place. These guys are professionals who getting paid to play for the country and there has to be a certain criterion. I’m with Misbah, he had that criteria when he was the coach. The players hated him but it worked.

“Fielding is all about fitness and that’s where we are lacking. Not it has come down to ifs and buts, will pray that this team wins or that team loses. That’s a big ‘maybe’,” he remarked.

Wasim Akram also attributed Pakistan’s disastrous show to the turmoil in Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over the last one year.

“Everybody wants to become PCB chairman. I never heard of anyone wanting to get associated with other sports in Pakistan. This is because PCB gives you the limelight. Ramiz Raja was suddenly removed from chairmanship and was not even permitted to take his personal belongings from his office in PCB,” he stated.