Former Pakistan cricketer Ahmad Shahzad has been a hot topic in the Pakistani media. His comments about Babar Azam’s national team and the Pakistan Cricket Board have attracted attention from around the world.
The 32-year-old Shahzad last played for Pakistan in 2019. Having been barred from the national team since then, Shahzad has been active as a panellist on various television shows.
He was a vocal critic of Pakistan’s failure in the ODI World Cup 2023 and the subsequent T20 World Cup 2024. Recently, Shahzad slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for allowing players to play in international T20 leagues.
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Ahmad Shehzad slams PCB for allowing players to play in international leagues
Pakistan was eliminated in the group stage of the T20 World Cup. After yet another defeat in the ICC event, Pakistani players were allowed to play in various T20 leagues around the world.
For instance, all-rounder Shadab Khan, who had a lackluster performance in the T20 World Cup, took a hat-trick in the ongoing Lanka Premier League 2024.
Ahmad Shahzad slammed the PCB for allowing players to play in the T20 league after the disgraceful match in the US.
“The PCB has allowed 12 players to play in leagues around the world after a very disappointing performance in the World Cup. These players have not been shamed into performing for Pakistan but will now play league cricket as normal. Is the PCB right to do this?” Shahzad wrote on X.
Shahzad said the players were only concerned about contracts in international T20 leagues and not the privilege of playing for Pakistan. He also spoke about the players’ failure to apologise to the fans after their dismal performance in the T20 World Cup.
According to the report submitted by the manager and head coach, why has no action been taken against the three players? Shahzad alleged that these players are not really interested in playing for Pakistan and are only concerned about their league contracts.
The PCB should ensure that the players involved in the grouping are removed from the squad. These players should apologise to the nation but they show no remorse and do not care about the feelings of the fans, the 32-year-old concluded.
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— Ahmad Shahzad 🇵🇰 (@iamAhmadshahzad) July 3, 2024
What does the future hold for Pakistan?
As per the current schedule, Babar Azam’s team will be playing limited-overs cricket in Australia – a three-match ODI series followed by a three-match T20I series – as they prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
The first ODI will be played on November 4, 2024 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
