Shoaib Akhtar Slams Pakistan For Their Mediocre Show In The Ongoing Third Test

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has opened up on his countrymen’s performance against England. The Englishmen have cut the back of Pakistan’s bowling and batting line-up in the ongoing third and final Test in Southampton. England chose to bat first and piled up 583 on the backdrop of Zak Crawley’s 267 and Jos Buttler’s 152. They both added a monumental 359 for the fifth wicket. Shoaib Akhtar blasted Azhar Ali and co., lamenting them for playing like a club team.

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Pakistan trail the three-match series, losing the first Test in Manchester by three wickets. After remaining in the front for the most part of the match, the partnership of 139 between Chris Woakes and Buttler in the fourth innings contributed to their three-wicket defeat. On the other hand, the second Test turned out as a damp squib as unhelpful weather conditions and bad light forced out a draw.

Shoaib Akhtar underlined that he has seen the attitude, intent and aggressiveness of bowlers and blamed the coaching method. Akhtar blamed Naseem Shah for not introducing any variation, including slower balls or bouncers and highlighted the lack of aggression.

“I have seen the attitude of aggressive bowlers, they have the intent of taking wickets. I do not know what is being taught to the current bowlers of Pakistan. There is no method, Naseem Shah keeps on bowling at just one area, there are no slower balls or bouncers. I don’t know why there is a lack of aggression, we are not net bowlers, we are playing Test matches,” the 43-year old said in his Youtube channel.

“It is a very embarrassing performance from Pakistan” : Shoaib Akhtar

The Rawalpindi continued saying that Azhar Ali’s men lack the right mindset for Test cricket and one cannot succeed having that. Akhtar conceded embarrassed, labelling them as a club team. The 43-year old added that Crawley was well set for a triple-hundred; however, fortunately, departed before that. At the end of day 2, the tourists were at 24-3 and 113-5 at present with skipper Azhar waging a lone fight with a fifty.

“Our players do not understand that when you do not have the right mindset, you would not succeed. Pakistan looked like a very ordinary team, the way we are playing, it is looking like we will face our biggest defeat on foreign soil since 2006. It is a very embarrassing performance from Pakistan, I was very hopeful of our side performing well in the series. Pakistan is looking like a club team. Crawley was set for scoring 300 but fortunately, he was dismissed,” concluded the 44-year-old former pacer,” Akhtar added.

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