'Honest and strong people don't complain but take decisions' - Shoaib Akhtar slams Misbah-ul-Haq for his statements

The last year or so has been tough for Pakistan cricket. Post the 2019 World Cup, the team changed the whole coaching staff including the head coach. But the results are not showing any improvement in the team across any format. Misbah-ul-Haq was named at the helm and also appointed the selector as he took charge on September 4 last year only to be questioned by former cricketers a lot during this period.

Pakistan have won only two Tests (out of 8; 3 lost), two ODIs (out of 2) and three T20Is (out of 11; 6 lost) since Misbah took over. They have also lost their number one ranking in the shortest format and have slipped to the fourth position now. However, the Pakistan coach claims that the team was already on the decline last year when he took over. He has been slammed for his statements by the former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar.

“Pakistan were No.1 but if you recall the time I took over they were already on a losing streak. They lost in South Africa and one T20I against England. So they had already started to go down a bit and we all have an idea why was it. That was because some of our players were out of form collectively – Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali – those who were main the contributors,” Misbah said in a video press conference upon his return from England tour.

Shoaib Akhtar comes down hard at Misbah-ul-Haq

But this statement hasn’t gone down well with Shoaib Akhtar at all and believes that Misbah-ul-Haq should admit that it is his fault and think on how to improve. He also stated that the latter shouldn’t stop playing around here and there and accept the results.

“Honest and strong people don’t complain but take decisions. If I had been in his place, I would have said that it is my fault, I will set it right. That is the straight point. He should have said that what had happened earlier or not happened is left behind, and now that I am at the job, I will improve things.

“Playing around here and there, is probably Misbah but this is not me. I am not like that. Whatever has happened, now that you are there, you need to say with confidence that you are there now, you will see how to set things right,” Akhtar said while speaking to Geo TV. Shoaib also urged Misbah-ul-Haq to be bold with his statements and stop blaming the team.

“I am also giving him a message. Saying that the team was already going down, what sort of talk is that. He needs to come strong. If he makes a strong statement, I will be the first person to support him,” the 45-year-old added.