The Pakistan cricket team lost the second One-Day International (ODI) to a ‘second string’ England team. It has sent shockwaves across the cricketing world. Shoaib Akhtar and Ramiz Raja lashed out at the selectors after the loss.
After a decent bowling performance, Pakistan still lost the second ODI against England by 47 runs. With this loss, Pakistan has also lost the three-match ODI series.
Former players like Akhtar and Raja have come out in the open to express their disappointment with the team.
After three players and four management team members from England’s ODI squad contracted coronavirus, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced a completely new team to play ODI and T20I series against Pakistan. Nine out of the 18 team members are uncapped players, which means that they have never played an international game before. Thus, it was being speculated that Pakistan might have a good chance to win the series with newer players in the England team.
The English youngsters have turned that speculation around by winning the first two ODIs with ease. Now a single ODI and a three-match T20I series remain for Pakistan to salvage something from the tour.
“So on a Richter scale, this defeat would be 15,” wrote the former captain while sharing his thoughts on Twitter.
England scored 247 runs in the first innings in the second ODI but the batsmen could not stand the bowling from English pacers. Raja said he was shocked to see Pakistan go on the way they did.
“If you map this series defeat on the Richter scale, the value of shock will clock fifteen. It’s a massive blow and I don’t understand how one can defend it. It’s England’s No.2 team, in terms of talent,” Raja said in his latest YouTube video.
“We are talking about a glorified county team that has beaten Pakistan. People underestimated them and hoped for an ODI series whitewash in England. But look how the tables have turned that now Pakistan are under the threat of a whitewash,” he continued.
On the other hand, Shoaib said that Pakistan’s team is a T20I side and they play accordingly. “No one enjoys criticising anyone. But tell me, which kid will start playing cricket after watching this team? The PCB’s plan is that no one should watch or follow cricket and they don’t have to spend anything,” Akhtar explained. “What was there in the wicket, first tell me that. Pakistan is only a T20 team. They play like T20 and get out like that. They lose five wickets in twenty overs. In T20s also, they score 150-175 and exactly the same in ODIs.”
While talking to Geo News, the former speedster said that at present, there is not a single player in the Pakistan team whom the spectators came to the stadium by spending money to watch.
“Cricket is not just about sixes and fours, batsmen should also take singles. Except for Hassan Ali, no bowler knows how to take a wicket, looking at the Pakistan team, it looks like a club-level team is playing a match,” said Akhtar.
Meanwhile, today Babar Azam-led Pakistan will face the Ben Stokes-captained team England at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham for the third and final ODI of the series.
