Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal strongly criticised the national team following their recent ODI series loss to Bangladesh national cricket team. Pakistan suffered an 11 run defeat in the deciding match held in Dhaka, resulting in Bangladesh securing the three match series 2–1.
The Pakistan side led by Shaheen Shah Afridi entered the series without several experienced players. Key names such as Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman were unavailable after sustaining injuries during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The team management decided to give younger players an opportunity but the squad struggled to perform under pressure in crucial moments.
During the final match Salman Ali Agha delivered an impressive century that kept Pakistan in contention. However his dismissal proved costly and Pakistan ultimately failed to chase the target. With 12 runs needed from the last two deliveries the team could not finish the game and ended up losing by 11 runs.
Reacting to the defeat Akmal expressed strong frustration during a television discussion. He questioned the direction of Pakistan cricket and suggested that the team’s performance levels had declined significantly. The former wicketkeeper even remarked that teams such as the Netherlands national cricket team might feel confident about beating Pakistan in a bilateral series.
Akmal also criticised the lack of accountability within the Pakistan Cricket Board, stating that poor results should lead to serious review and responsibility among decision makers. He further questioned how Pakistan expected to win major international trophies if they struggled to win regular series.
Pakistan’s Recent Struggles in International Tournaments
The defeat against Bangladesh came shortly after Pakistan’s disappointing campaign in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The team failed to reach the semi finals after losing key matches during the tournament.
Pakistan were defeated by India national cricket team during the group stage and later suffered another loss against England cricket team in the Super 8 round.
Their match against New Zealand national cricket team was abandoned due to rain. Pakistan then faced Sri Lanka national cricket team in a must win contest. Although Pakistan managed to win that game by five runs the margin was not enough to secure a place in the semi finals.
This result marked the fourth consecutive ICC tournament in which Pakistan failed to reach the semi final stage raising concerns among former players and cricket analysts about the team’s performance and long term planning.
