Might get knocked out in first round of T20 World Cup, says Shoaib Akhtar

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has lashed out at Pakistan's chief selector Mohammad Wasim and head coach Saqlain Mushtaq after the squad for the T20 World Cup was announced.

The Rawalpindi Express, on his YouTube channel, said that the chief selector had put forth a disappointing squad and the middle-order was exposed in front of Sri Lanka at the Asia Cup.

Akhtar went on to point out that the selectors didn't retain batter Fakhar Zaman when captain Babar Azam is opening the innings.

"What is this team selection? they said we would consistently make a decision which will be liked by everyone but they made such a horrible decision of not changing the middle-order. The problem was in the middle order but the selectors overlooked it and didn't make any change in the middle order," Akhtar said.

"Fakhar Zaman, I have said his a million times that give six overs to Fakhar Zaman as the Australian conditions will suit him and keep Babar at the top," Akhtar added.

Akhtar further criticised his former teammate Saqlain Mushtaq for not knowing about T20 cricket. The former fast bowler added he is scared that Pakistan might get knocked out in the early stage of the T20 World Cup.

"When the chief selector is average, then average decisions would be taken). Saqlain (Mushtaq) last played cricket in 2002, I don’t want to say this as he is my friend, but I don’t think he has any idea about T20 cricket. I don’t think this is your forte," he added.

"Meanwhile, Mohammad Yousuf is there in the team. Had he been there, how could our batting not perform? Yousuf is an asset in the dressing room, but I don’t know how much say he has in this team. Iftikhar Ahmed is Misbah part two. Mashallah, we had Rizwan and now he has Iftikhar for company," he maintained.

"With this team, we might get knocked out in the first round itself. I am scared as our batting has no depth. Our captain is also not cut out for this format as he always looks for classic cover drives. He wants to look classic."