Pakistan shouldn’t be making excuses like why we are playing against Afghanistan in Chennai, or India in Ahmedabad: Kamran Akmal

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the fixtures for the impending ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to be played in India between October 5-November 19, on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sent a draft schedule to the participating teams. According to the draft schedule, Pakistan were scheduled to face Australia in Bengaluru and Afghanistan in Chennai. As per a report from ESPNcricinfo, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wanted the venues of these two matches to be swapped to make the Babar Azam-led side the favourites to win these matches. However, in the final schedule, these requested changes were not implemented by the ICC.

Former Pakistani wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal stated in an interview that these "excuses" were only showing the former champions in a bad light.

“Conditions, venues shouldn’t be a concern for teams anymore. These things shouldn’t happen in international cricket. Today, India beat Australia, South Africa, New Zealand on their own turf. We shouldn’t be making excuses like why we are playing against Afghanistan in Chennai, or India in Ahmedabad. Your focus should be on cricket only,” Akmal said during an interview with paktv.tv.

“It’s my request to board members, stop doing making such low-standard requests. The level of international cricket has advanced now. Players should be proud of their achievements, they should know what the fans and the board expect from them. You shouldn’t say such things and instead pull down the level of your cricket,” he further added.

'You ask Pakistani players, they don’t care wherever their schedule comes' - Wasim Akram echoes Kamran Akmal

Legendary swing bowler Wasim Akram spoke on the same lines as Kamran Akmal as he noted that there is unnecessary stress over Pakistan playing in Ahmedabad.

“There’s no issue with it. Pakistan will play wherever they are assigned to play. Simple. This unnecessary stress of ‘we won’t play in Ahmedabad’…you ask Pakistani players, they don’t care wherever their schedule comes,” Akram was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

PCB also requested that if the Pakistan team makes it to the semifinals and comes up against India, the match should be held in Kolkata and not in Mumbai. As per reports, the ICC has accepted the request, and if the aforementioned scenario arrives, Mumbai and Kolkata might swap the semifinal matches between them.