Wasim Akram blasts Pakistan team: ‘These guys are eating 8kgs of mutton everyday’

Pakistan legend Wasim Akram launched a stinging attack on Men in Green after Babar Azam and Co suffered their first-ever ODI defeat to Pakistan on Monday. The eight-wicket defeat to Afghanistan in World Cup 2023 was Pakistan’s third consecutive defeat in the tournament after losses to India and Australia.

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More than the defeat, the manner in which Pakistan failed to put up a fight after scoring 286/2 on a tricky pitch did not go down well with Akram who slammed the national’s team fielding and fitness standards.

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“It was embarrassing today. To reach 280-odd losing just two wickets is pretty big. Wet pitch or no, look at the fielding, and the fitness levels. We’ve been screaming for the last 3 weeks that these players haven’t undergone a fitness test in the last two years. If I start taking individual names, their faces will drop. Looks like these guys are eating 8 kilos of mutton every day. Should there not be tests,” Akram said on A Sports.

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“Professionally you guys are getting paid, playing for your country. There has to be a certain criteria. Misbah, when he was coach, had that criteria. Players hated him but it worked. Fielding is all about fitness and that’s where we are lacking. Now we have reached that same position, where we will pray for ifs and buts to happen.”

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Akram also blasted the current PCB regime. A lot of changes have been made in PCB over the last few months. After Ramiz Raja was removed as PCB chairman, Najam Sethi held the top post before Zaka Ashraf held the position for four months. During the same period, the previous coaching team including Saqlain Mushtaq and Mohammad Yousuf who had helped Pakistan reach the T20 World Cup final in 2022 were removed.

“We were excited we were No. 1 but man, come on. Last 6-8 months, we had one chairman. And once he came on board for 3-4 months, he straightaway changed the coaching staff,” Akram added.

“We reached the final last year. But out of the blue he came and shuffled things around. ‘Get him out, throw this person out. Get your own guys in’. You guys are seniors, elder to me, but next time onward, please… whoever becomes the chairman, think about the nation. Wasim Khan and Ehsan Mani had worked so hard to get the high-performance centre together and build a system. They changed that too and made it into a National Coaching Centre. Not a single camp has been held there for 8 months. Why do you have to make unnecessary changes? Just leave it.”