Akram "Can Only Preach": Pace Great Blasted For Pakistan's Open Criticism

Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria slammed Wasim Akram and other ex-Pakistan cricketers who criticised the current Pakistan team. Kaneria said that instead of criticising from the outside, Akram and other cricketers should instead come and help the side. Pakistan were knocked out of the 2024 T20 World Cup at the group stage, after losses to India and the USA. Kaneria's reaction comes after Wasim Akram had put out a public rant on social media, demanding a new team be formed for Pakistan.

"Wasim Akram and other people can only preach from the outside. Why don't they come help the Pakistan side?" asked Kaneria. "Why did Wasim Akram not pose the question about Mohammad Amir's selection immediately?" Kaneria told Sports Now.

"Shoaib Malik is a better player than these guys (the current squad)," he added.

The former leg-spinner said that Pakistan's preparations leading up to the 2024 T20 World Cup had not been up to the mark. He raised special concern over the selections of Mohammad Amir and Azam Khan.

"They (Pakistan) should've picked 20-22 players in the camp, and then picked the best 15," said Kaneria. "Where were Mohammad Amir and Azam Khan six months ago?" blasted Kaneria.

Kaneria slammed the Pakistan team's management of not being able to make firm decisions.

"They will wake up in the morning and say one thing, and then take a U-turn in the evening. They're the masters of the U-turn," said Kaneria.

"They're egoistic and think they cannot make mistakes," he added.

Kaneria also criticised the decision to hand back captaincy to Babar Azam, and suggested that he should bat at no. 3 in T20Is, letting Fakhar Zaman open the innings with Mohammad Rizwan.

Babar Azam scored 122 runs in four matches at the 2024 T20 World Cup, but at a strike rate of just 101.