"No Game Awareness!"- Shoaib Malik kicks and punches Babar Azam and Co after Pakistan say goodbye to T20 World Cup

Former Pakistan players Shoaib Malik and Ahmad Shahzad have criticized the cricket culture in the Pakistan Team after its ouster from the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Shoaib Malik feels young Pakistan players have no game awareness when they play at international level. 

On the other hand, Ahmad Shahzad said some people have been manipulating the Pakistan team for years. Notably, Pakistan has been ruled out of the Super 8 round of ICC T20 World Cup 2024. 

The Babar Azam-led side lost to the USA and India in their first two games. They later crushed Canada by 7 wickets. However, with a washout clash against Ireland on Friday, the USA managed to steal a spot in the next round with India. 

As a result, Pakistan were eliminated from the tournament with one more game to go. Pakistan will face Ireland in a dead-rubber clash on Sunday, June 16. Pakistan, Ireland, and Canada have been knocked out of Group A in T20 World Cup 2024. 

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Our players have no game awareness: Shoaib Malik 

During a conversation on Ten Sports Pak, former Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik slammed Pakistan players for their lack of game awareness. 

"I still have an association with cricket. I play only (domestic) T20 cricket with Pakistan, and I played the last one as well. I have played for the Sialkot team. I felt miserable that our players coming through the ranks have no game awareness," he said. 

Malik, who is still active in the Pakistan Super League, also added he feels miserable that good players are not able to get chances enough chances due to a lack of support. 

"We can't come out of liking, or disliking; it's our culture. It's developed over the years. But please the players with merit who don't have someone to speak for them, they don't get chances. I feel miserable about it. You should at least have game awareness," Malik further added. 

Agents manipulating Pakistan Cricket for the last few years- Ahmad Shahzad 

Another former Pakistan player Ahmad Shahzad has lashed out at the cricket culture in Pakistan. Shahzad revealed that there are agents who help players to get into the national team. He also believes this is the reason Pakistan has not won ICC titles for the last 4-5 years. 

"We don't play cricket to win bilateral series but to win ICC events. Did we win any event in the last 4-5 years? If we didn't win, I would say there are gangs, friendships, and tola with an agent, who has been manipulating cricket for the last 4-5 years," Shahzad was quoted as saying on Pakistan news channel Geo TV. 

Notably, Ahmad Shahzad has slammed Babar Azam, PCB, and management openly after Pakistan’s poor performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 under skipper Babar Azam. 

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Pakistan were runners-up in the last edition 

Meanwhile, the runners-up of the last edition- Pakistan- has faced a miserable first-round exit in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Pakistan will still play their last Group match in the tournament, facing Ireland on Sunday in Florida. 

India and USA are the two members from Group A who have qualified for the Super 8 round of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. USA has played all of their four matches while India will clash with Canada in their last group match.