‘Babar Azam the next target?’: Ex-Pakistan captain launches scathing attack on PCB
The Pakistan Cricket Board is under fire for its management of the national cricket team. Former captain Rashid Latif has accused the board of operating through remote control. The unexpected changes to players and coaching staff mid-series have sparked widespread criticism, further questioning the board's decision-making abilities. As the national Test team battles in the World Test Championship…
Dubai: Shoaib Akhtar has expressed his support for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) amid recent controversies, while omitting former captain Babar Azam from his list of players he believes should be retained. The PCB recently dismissed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed, bowling coach Umar Gul, and released seven players, including captain Salman Ali Agha following Pakistan's second Test defeat against England.
Akhtar, on the OutSide Edge show, suggested that the PCB aims to replace the current squad with younger and more promising talent. While Akhtar criticized the aging players, he explicitly called for the careers of fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf to be saved. However, he notably excluded Babar Azam, who leads the Men in Green in Test cricket, from this list.
Akhtar had reportedly reached out to a PCB official to inquire about their expectations for the team's upcoming match. The Rawalpindi Express' constant involvement in the Pakistan cricket team is evident, and Akhtar's lack of support for Babar Azam may result in additional criticism for the skipper during the final Test match in Birmingham, England.
Written by urgent.news from Gulf News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
