Pakistan’s T20 World Cup dreams were washed away alongside the USA-Ireland match, leaving them dependent on an unlikely outcome for qualification.
This disastrous exit has ignited a firestorm of criticism, with Wasim Akram leading the charge rummybo.
While offering congratulations to a resurgent USA squad for reaching the Super Eight stage, his message for Pakistan was far from celebratory.
‘Congratulations to USA, They’ve done amazingly well. When you talk about globalization of the game, this is it. USA qualified for the Super Eight, they deserve to be there. They defeated Pakistan in their group match. For Pakistan, what’s the plan? EK 601 (flight number) to Dubai, to their respective cities. From then, we will see what happens,’ said Akram.
Akram’s scathing remarks follows his earlier criticism after Pakistan’s loss to India, where he pointed a finger at the team’s apparent lack of responsibility.
‘Pakistani players think that if they don’t perform well, the coaches will be sacked, and nothing will happen to them,’ Akram said.
‘It is time to keep the coaches and change the entire team.’
Reports of internal discord swirled throughout the tournament, further muddying the waters. Allegations of favoritism in team selection and rumours of a fractured team environment — with Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan at the supposed centre of these divisions — only added to Pakistan’s woes rummy bo.