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Pakistan couldn’t progress beyond the group stage after they lost to New Zealand and arch-rivals India, with their final group game against Bangladesh being washed out.
Pakistan made a group-stage exit from the Champions Trophy (Picture credit: AP)
Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal has said that his team’s reputation will only come back when it starts to win and play good cricket, taking a dig at the side for their poor show in the recent Champions Trophy.
Pakistan lost two of their three group-stage games and their last match against Bangladesh was washed out, as they remained winless despite playing one game on home soil.
Akmal slammed the team for their performance and said that the side is required to begin winning and not play selfish cricket.
“Our reputation will only come back when you start to win and play good cricket. If you play only for yourself, no one will have respect for you. Not the players, not Pakistan and neither the PCB,” Akmal said while speaking on his YouTube channel.
“Is there someone to ask why teams like Bangladesh whitewash us? The chairman should ask this. At least reach the semifinals in an ICC event,” Akmal said.
“You are being knocked out in the initial rounds itself. Did anyone ask the coach, captain, or the selection committee as to how cricket is being run? When there is no accountability, how will the cricket improve?” Akmal asked.
Meanwhile, ICC’s inability to invite a PCB official on stage for the closing ceremony of the Champions Trophy hasn’t gone down well with the nation.
According to reports, Pakistan Cricket Board’s chief executive officer Sumair Ahmed, who was the director of the Champions Trophy, was present at the venue but wasn’t invited to the ceremony.
Pakistan hosted an ICC event after almost three decades, with all India matches scheduled in Dubai as part of the competition’s hybrid model.
Reports said that for some reason or misunderstanding, the Pakistan Cricket Board official wasn’t called on the podium, from where ICC chairman Jay Shah, BCCI president Roger Binny and secretary Devajit Saikia gave away the medals, trophies and jackets to the cricketers.
“Our aim was fulfilled that we got money and upgraded stadiums. We did not think that we needed to improve our cricket as well. We did not think about where Pakistan’s respect was going,” Akmal also said.