Kamran Akmal urges Pakistan PM Imran Khan to take stern action against team for World Cup show

There is no end to the harsh reactions that have been flooding in since Pakistan’s humiliating 89-run loss to arch-rivals India in World Cup 2019 at Old Trafford last Sunday. From picking up individual members of the team to bashing the captain as “brainless” to moving a local court seeking a ban on the players, there is no dearth of the backlash. And now, former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has reached out to Prime Minister Imran Khan urging him to take stern action against the Pakistan cricket team for their poor show in the tournament.

Pakistan have so far won only one game out of five and lost three while one game was washed out. With just three points from five games and four matches to go, the team not only will have to play out of its skin but also depend on favourable outcomes in other games to make it to the semi-finals. Pakistan face South Africa, another team that has struggled throughout the tournament, in their next match at Lord’s on Sunday.

Akmal, the 37-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman who has played for Pakistan in the World Cup in the past, recently said that those who hoped that Sarfaraz Ahmed’s side would make it to the last four were “daydreaming”.

Pakistan have not won chasing in this World Cup

Speaking to Pakistani daily ‘The Nation’, Akmal said: “Pakistan has not won any match in the World Cup, where they opted to chase. The only victory for the green caps came against the tournament favourites England, when we batted first and posted massive 300 plus runs on the board, while against West Indies, we were badly exposed and flattened at meagre 105. Our batting badly flopped and all the flaws were exposed by the opponents.”

He said he requested PM Khan, who is also a patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board, to seek accountability ruthlessly from all those who “inflicted huge damages on Pakistan cricket”.

“We are blessed with so many natural cricketers, who, if selected on merit, can strengthen Pakistan batting and bowling and can take Pakistan team to a much higher level,” he said.

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Sarfaraz won the toss and sent India in to bat only to see his decision backfiring. Virat Kohli’s side posted a massive score of 336 for 5 and then restricted Pakistan to 212 for 6 in 40 overs when they were supposed to score 302 as per the DLS rule.