Ahmad Shahzad as responded to his Indian counterpart R Ashwin’s concerns about Pakistan cricket and asked the Indian off-spinner to not worry. However, in his statement, there was also a jibe at the Pakistan Cricket Board.
In response to Ashwin's surprise at Pakistan's difficulty, Shahzad attacked the PCB's management of the national team and infrastructural projects. After Pakistan's 0-2 home defeat to Bangladesh in a two-match Test series, Ashwin expressed surprise.
"Keeping all this aside, Pakistan cricket, to see where it is right now, it wasn't possible 10 years ago with Misbah, Younis Khan, even when they used to play in UAE. Back then, it was very tough to beat Pakistan, right?" Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
He added that he found the current state of the team unbelievable. Shahzad responded to Ashwin's comments with sarcasm, questioning why the Indian cricketer was surprised.
"Why are you surprised, Ashwin? Don't worry, everything is fine here. Can't you see that stadiums are being built over here? Continuous digging is being done. Don't be surprised at all," Shehzad said, targeting the PCB's infrastructure projects.
He also derided Pakistan's efforts to arrange competitions like the Champions One-Day Cup, implying that they will cure the team's difficulties.
"Are you not seeing that Pakistan is organizing a cup? Just wait and watch the number of players who come out of this tournament. How we get a battery of fast bowlers and produce players. Are you not seeing this? Why are you surprised, Ravi?
So, what if we couldn't qualify for the Super 8 round of the 2024 T20 World Cup? So what if there is groupism in our team? So, what if the current players in the team are not performing? It's not a big issue, Ravi, so please don't worry," he said in a scathing tone.
Ahmad Shahzad has been a vociferous critic of the PCB for numerous years, accusing it of bias and breaking promises, particularly to domestic cricketers. Previously, he declined to participate in the Champions Cup, citing "favoritism, false promises, and injustice" within the system.
Reflecting on Pakistan's cricketing history, Ashwin noted how difficult it was to defeat a team that included Misbah-Ul-Haq, Younis Khan, and spinners like Yasir Shah.
"All these guys, to where they are right now, I cannot believe it," Shahzad said.
Here is the video:
