Shoaib Akhtar loses cool on live TV after Pakistan's Test defeat to England

Legendary pacer Shoaib Akhtar expressed his frustration during a live television discussion on PTV Sports following Pakistan's latest Test defeat, succumbing to England by an innings and 47 runs. The loss, which took place on Friday, marked another chapter in a series of disappointing performances for the national team.

In a candid and passionate address, Akhtar did not hold back in criticizing both the players and the management, asserting that Pakistan cricket has experienced a significant decline over the past decade. He bluntly stated that the current players are “not good enough” to represent the nation on the international stage.

"You will reap what you sow. Over the decades, I have seen the decline. The situation is disappointing. Losing is fine, but the game should be close. However, what we saw over the past two days, they completely gave up hope. This shows that we aren't good enough. England scored 800+ and Bangladesh also beat you," Akhtar said.

The Rawalpindi Express further highlighted the potential ramifications of the team's poor performance, raising concerns about Pakistan's Test status. He characterized the current state of affairs as “disheartening” and urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), led by chairman Mohsin Naqvi, to implement strict measures for the improvement of cricket in the country.

"Fans are saying that Pakistan should withdraw from WTC. I saw some comments. ICC must be thinking 'should we send teams to Pakistan and keep their Test status alive'. It's just disheartening. This is going to hurt Pakistan cricket, fans and the upcoming talents. I want to request the PCB to sort out this mess," he said.

The disarray within Pakistan's cricketing ranks has been exacerbated by reports of groupism among players, primarily fueled by multiple individuals vying for the captaincy. Akhtar acknowledged that weak management and leadership only serve to perpetuate these issues.

"If your management and captain are weak, there will be groupism. If the captain is selfish, there will be groupism. Same is the case if the coaches are afraid of the captain. The captain calls the shot when it comes to selection. This has been the culture since my playing days," he further explained.

Notably, it has been 1,331 days since Pakistan last celebrated a Test victory, with the team's last win coming in February 2021 against South Africa in Rawalpindi under Babar Azam's captaincy.