T20 World Cup 2024: Kamran Akmal openly betrays Pakistan reacting to Michael Vaughan's comparison with IPL

England and Pakistan planned to play a four-match T20I series to prepare for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and Caribbean, starting on June 1. Even the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) disappointed the BCCI by calling back their players from the recent IPL 2024.

However, the weather god had a different plan, as the two games of the four-match T20I series were washed out due to heavy rain in Headingly and Cardiff. On the other hand, the England cricket team dominated the rest of the two T20Is, winning the second game by 23 runs and the fourth game by seven wickets to clinch the home series with a 2-0 margin against the Pakistan cricket team.

IPL 2024 Playoffs would have been better than Pakistan T20Is for England's T20 World Cup 2024 preparation: Michael Vaughan

But this T20I series was just a one-sided affair for England as Pakistan looked completely out of color, so many felt it was not an ideal preparation for at least the defending champions for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, especially with only two games possible due to poor weather.

Given that, even former England captain Michael Vaughan argued that experiencing the intense atmosphere of the IPL 2024 playoffs would have been more beneficial for the English players' preparation for the T20 World Cup 2024 compared to the home T20I series against Pakistan, as there was no competition between the two teams.

Notably, the ECB withdrew their players from the IPL 2024 to participate in the T20I series. Although the majority of the league stage was completed, key players like captain Jos Buttler, Will Jacks, Phil Salt, and Reece Topley could play in the playoffs.

Even Salt could have played in the IPL 2024 final, where his team, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), defeated the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to clinch their third IPL title at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 26.

Everybody knows the level of Pakistan cricket: Kamran Akmal

Now, former wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has also agreed with Vaughan. However, Akmal said that it was a painful assessment, but correct. He said on his YouTube channel: “Over the past few days, I have wondered why a former England captain is commenting and taking Pakistan cricket non-seriously. It has been a painful thought, but I think he was correct in his assessment. Everybody knows the level of Pakistan cricket.”

He further explained, “We are losing against smaller teams like Ireland, and in that sense, Vaughan said that it is not a tough series. So, the fault is ours. Had it been any other team like New Zealand, South Africa, and India then Vaughan would not have said it. We need to understand that in IPL, the best bowlers and batters are participating with crowds of 40 to 50,000. So, it is tough cricket and quality cricket.”

Notably, England and Pakistan have reportedly denied playing any warm-up games ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup. They will now head to the Caribbean and the USA for the mega event. While England kick off their campaign against Scotland on June 4 in Barbados, Pakistan will face the USA in their opening game on June 6 in Texas.