Mohammad Rizwan has no game awareness, Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi are not on talking terms: Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram has lashed out at Pakistan senior cricketers for not having “game awareness” after their T20 World Cup loss against Pakistan at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York.

“They have been playing cricket for 10 years, and I can’t teach them. Rizwan has no game awareness,” Akram said on Star Sports after the match.

Chasing a seemingly meager target of 120, Pakistan was cruising at 80-3 after 14 overs before Bumrah cannoned a ball into the stumps to dismiss Pakistan’s top-scorer Mohammad Rizwan for 31.

India’s Jasprit Bumrah, left, celebrates with teammates the dismissal of Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan, right on ground, during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York, Sunday, June 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

“He should have known that Bumrah was given the ball to take wickets and that the wise thing would have been to play his deliveries cautiously. But Rizwan went for a big shot and lost his wicket,” he said.

Akram on Iftikhar Ahmed and Fakhar Zaman

After bowling India out for 119 in 19 overs, Pakistan was restricted to 113-7 in 20 overs in the low-scoring thriller. India’s six-run win put Pakistan, the 2022 runners-up, on the brink of a group-stage exit.

India’s Jasprit Bumrah, right, celebrates the dismissal of Pakistan’s Iftikhar Ahmed, left, during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York.

“Iftikhar Ahmed knows one shot on the leg side. He has been a part of the team for years but doesn’t know how to bat,” said Akram.

“I can’t go and tell about the game awareness Fakhar Zaman. Pakistani players think that if they don’t perform well, the coaches will be sacked, and nothing will happen to them. It is time to keep the coaches and change the entire team.”

Akram on Babar and Shaheen

Wasim Akram also revealed Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi are not on talking terms since the change of captaincy.

Pakistan’s Babar Azam celebrates with Shaheen Shah Afridi after taking the wicket of India’s Rishabh Pant (Reuters)

“There are players who don’t want to talk to each other. This is international cricket, and you play for your country. Make these players sit at home,” he said.

It was the second-lowest total ever successfully defended at the men’s T20 World Cup. It was the lowest total India had ever defended in a full T20 international and helped extend its mark to 7-1 in T20Is against Pakistan.

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