Shoaib Akhtar boasts of Pakistani people wanting him to become next chief selector

In an interview on the 'Inside out with Yousaf Anjum' series on the Cricket Pakistan YouTube channel, Shoaib Akhtar said that the Pakistani people want someone who thinks like him as the Pakistan cricket team's chief selector. He also stressed the importance of there being a synergetic relationship between the head coach and chief selector, so the team can benefit from it. Through the interview, the Pakistani legend suggested that the team desperately needs a change in mindset, whether it comes from him as chief selector, or someone else. 

Adding that no one has approached him for the role, Akhtar was confident that the public would want "a person who is straightforward and demands performances from the cricketers.” The famously outspoken cricketer has been very active on social media and regularly dissects performances by the Pakistan cricket team. 

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Pakistan's tour of England 2020

Discussing the reasons behind Pakistan's defeat against England in the recently concluded Test series, he said that Pakistan lost the Test series by losing just one session, which was their batting in the second innings of the first Test. He also blamed the defensive mindset of the Pakistani players, something he says the side has been dealing with for the past 15 years. “It was always going to be a difficult tour especially bearing in mind the bio-secure bubble. But having said that, the transfer of knowledge from the experienced coaching staff to the players was not visible. We have good players but they need aggression, especially the bowlers,” he added.  

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Pakistan lost the first Test against England despite posting a total of 326 in their first innings and managing to restrict England to 219. The team failed to carry this momentum into the second innings and were bundled out by the hosts for a mere 169 runs. England made a steady recovery on day 5, winning by 3 wickets. The second and third Tests saw some good performances by Pakistan but finished in draws after being washed out. 

Shoiab Akhtar was quick to make his displeasure known, commenting that “Asad Shafiq (middle-order batsman) looks lost on the field and does not know what to do. Whenever he is out there, it looks like he is playing his first Test. Even after playing so many Tests, we have failed to make him a star.”

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Speaking about the future of veteran all-rounders Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik, Akhtar said, “We have invested 18 years on the likes of Hafeez and Shoaib Malik and utmost pressure should be put on them ahead of the T20 World Cup."

The fastest bowler in the world, also called the Rawalpindi Express, also expressed his frustrations with Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam. In a video on his official YouTube channel, the former Pakistani pacer said, "Babar Azam looks like a lost cow to me. He is out there, not knowing what to do. It is important for him to take decisions on his own so that it could help him become a better captain in the coming times." He also pointed out that Babar Azam should make the most out of the chances coming his way, as that will not be the situation for the rest of his life.

Also Read | Pakistan Team Management Asks Senior Players To Stop Giving Advice To Babar Azam: Reports

Image credits: Shoaib Akhtar Twitter