(Source X)
Former Pakistan player Kamran Akmal has criticized the current team for favoritism ahead of the Test series against Bangladesh, claiming that the pattern of favoritism has persisted for 5-6 years.
Pakistan will face Bangladesh in a two-match Test series, starting on August 21 in Rawalpindi. The second match will also be held at the same venue due to construction work in Karachi.
The squad features new faces and is led by Shan Masood, with several prominent players omitted, signaling a shift after a challenging period for the team. Notably, Pakistan has selected only one spinner, Abrar Ahmed, who will not play in the first match as the team opts for an all-pace attack on a grassy pitch.
Akmal suggested that the team could have included an extra batter to accommodate a spinner and criticized the selection decisions, which he believes reflect ongoing favoritism. He warned that without addressing these issues, the team’s performance will not improve, as discussed in his YouTube video.
“You could have made a batsman play less. Shan is playing at 3rd and could have opened. You could not have played Opener. If you don’t want to play an opener, that is also a big debate. That is also not an easy decision. And the direction in which this wind is blowing, everyone knows.
“Who is getting support, And what has started now? What we have been saying for the past 5-6 years, this work is going to start in the future as well. The team that I am seeing, the team that has been announced, how mindset is going. But if you don’t control these things, your cricket will never improve,” said Kamran Akmal.
Kamran Akmal also remarked that Pakistan’s performance will suffer due to team selections influenced by internal groups. He highlighted that players who should be part of the Pakistan Shaheens squad are instead being included in the main team.
“We will never be able to give a good performance. Because we want to play or win for Pakistan. Here, only the Pakistan team is picked, based on the strong group. The group that dominated for 5-6 years, now the second group has come. I am saying this openly. Now that group will dominate.
“And it is also visible. The boy who should have been sent to the A team is a part of the squad, play him there and he should perform. Neither is he performing in the A team nor he is performing in the Pakistan team. And you have forcibly kept him with you,” Kamran Akmal concluded.
