With the Super Four stage of Asia Cup 2025 underway, India and Pakistan will go head-on once again after India clinched the Group Stage match by 7 wickets.
Going into the match, the Suryakumar Yadav-led India will once again start as favorites to win the match over the arch-nemesis, with a settled playing XI and everyone in rhythm.
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On the other hand, barring one loss against India, the Men in Green have also fared well in the competition with two convincing wins over UAE and Oman.
However, citing the recent run of disappointing results against the neighbors, Pakistan legend Shoaib Akhtar has called out the selectors and the coach for the toothless attitude in team selections.
Here's what he had to say.
Shoaib Akhtar rips into PCB and management over team selection:
Speaking to Tamasha Sports in the build-up to the Super Four match, Akhtar asked whether anybody knows who the chair of selection committee is as he bashed everyone from the PCB to the coach on poor team selection.
"Firstly, you instil fear within the team due to team selection. When a random group of 4-5 people don't pick the right team and have an incompetent coach, and don't have a chairman of selectors, the team is bound to have a fear of whether they will play or not.
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"Pick three proper pacers and do what suits you when you have become the captain irrespective of the credentials. The World Cup starts in 6 months and again they will remove Agha to bring back Babar and the rebuild will take place again on the loop. It is happening every year since 2021 and I can assure that will continue in 2026.
He further questioned Babar Azam's snub when the rest of the team still bats at a low strike rate and felt the board, management, selectors and captain are not confident enough. Additionally, Akhtar also thought the captain does not get the say in picking the playing XI alongside Mike Hesson.
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