Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar has opened up on the recent developments involving the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Pakistan national team on their three-Test tour to England, which is currently underway.
After their innings defeat in the first Test and a 194-run defeat at Lord’s in the second Test, PCB made as many as seven changes to its Test squad for the third and final Test. PCB, on Monday, August 31, revealed in its media statement that Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad have been asked to return home.
“The PCB itself was very disappointed by these people and they don’t expect anything from this Pakistan squad. The plan is to remove this squad and replace them with younger and newer blood. Players who just want to play for Pakistan. They are looking at the future now and they are working at it in the right way,” Akhtar said as quoted by Indian Express.
“In this transition, I just want Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf’s careers to be saved. These guys have a lot of cricket left in them. Nothing. We have expectations from the next generation of players that we are preparing for the big stage,” he added.
On the other hand, the PCB brought in seven replacements in Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran and Razaullah.
Pakistan’s updated squad for the third Test vs England:
Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Fazal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Razaullah, Saad Baig (wk), Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah
