Pakistan lacked courage, played very poorly: Shoaib Akhtar slams PCB after series defeat to Australia
India Today
Pakistan great Shoaib Akhtar has slammed the PCB and the team management while blaming them for their lack of courage in the series defeat to Australia.
Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar lashed out at the PCB and the Pakistan team management for their defensive mindset in the series defeat to Australia, while praising Pat Cummins and his team for being brave in the three-match historic series.
While Akhtar came down heavily on the Babar Azam-led Pakistan cricket team for their defensive approach, he also praised the Australian players for being brave and skillful. Notably, Pakistan suffered a 1-0 series defeat after being bowled out in the last session of the third and final Test as Australia recorded an emphatic 115-run win on Friday in Lahore.
The hosts were dismissed for 235 in their second innings on a worn-out wicket an hour after tea as Australia enjoyed a successful end to its first Test series in Pakistan since 1998. Australia claimed the Benaud-Qadir Trophy, named after leg-spin greats from the two countries — Richie Benaud and Abdul Qadir.
"Absolutely disappointing series, this. Absolute nonsense. The mindset of both, the Pakistan Cricket Board and probably the team management was to draw this series. Neither should they win, nor us; just end this series in a draw," Akhtar said on his official YouTube channel.
"But hats off to Australians. I'm genuinely happy for them. This is not their home, none of these players played in Pakistan before; they came here and play brave cricket. The bowlers didn't know when the ball reverses in such conditions but both, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins put in the hard hours to learn the skills of the trade here. Nathan Lyon, who hasn't toured Pakistan yet, took a five-wicket haul.
Further criticising the PCB, Akhtar said that there needs to be a change of personnel in the higher decision-making roles.
"See, when you are lacking courage and only trying to escape, the results are like this. They came here after 24 years and they expected you to prepare good wickets. But you didn't do that. You tried to wear them down. The opposite has happened. It's the wrong approach, the wrong mindset. We should bring in people who are not mediocre and take the right decisions. Unfortunately, it doesn't happen in Pakistan," Akhtar added.
