Ashwin leaves Shehzad fuming

The Indian spinner had questioned Pakistan's leadership

Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has sharply criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in response to recent comments by Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

Ashwin had expressed surprise at the current struggles of Pakistan cricket, contrasting it with their past dominance under leaders like Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan.

On his YouTube channel, Ashwin remarked on how difficult it used to be to beat Pakistan when they had strong leaders, stating, "Keeping all this aside, Pakistan cricket, to see where it is right now, it wasn't possible 10 years ago with Misbah, Younis Khan, even when they used to play in UAE. Back then, it was very tough to beat Pakistan, right?"

In reaction, Shehzad sarcastically questioned Ashwin's surprise, suggesting that the PCB's infrastructural efforts were not making a significant impact.

"Why are you surprised, Ashwin? Don't worry, everything is fine here. Can't you see that stadiums are being built over here? Continuous digging is being done. Don't be surprised at all," Shehzad remarked.

He further mocked the PCB's initiatives, such as the Champions One-Day Cup, questioning their effectiveness in improving the team's performance.

"Are you not seeing that Pakistan is organizing a cup? Just wait and watch the number of players who come out of this tournament. How we get a battery of fast bowlers and produce players. Are you not seeing this? Why are you surprised, Ravi?" he further added.

Shehzad did not hold back in his critique, addressing the team's recent failures, including their inability to qualify for the Super 8s of the 2024 T20 World Cup.

"So what if we couldn't qualify for the Super 8 round of the 2024 T20 World Cup? So what if there is groupism in our team? So what if the current players in the team are not performing? It's not a big issue, Ravi, so please don't worry," he concluded.

Tough coach

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has criticized Pakistan cricket's current state, urging for a tough, straightforward coach similar to India's Gautam Gambhir.

Following Pakistan's poor performances, including a 0-2 Test series loss to Bangladesh and a group-stage exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup, Kaneria believes significant changes are necessary.

"Why today other teams are doing so well Why is the Indian team is doing so well? They had a Rahul Dravid who worked with the team very well now. They have Gautam Gambir, a fantastic cricketer and fantastic guy. The way he reacts, he tells on the face. He doesn't go back and do backbiting; he's on the face straight away. This is how you have to be. You have to be strong, and like a strong person, you have to make the decision on the face, not at the back," Kaneria said.

Kaneria also criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for its frequent captain changes. Babar Azam, who was removed following the ODI World Cup, was briefly replaced by Shaheen Afridi before being reinstated for the T20 World Cup. Kaneria believes this has led to confusion and instability.

"Stick to your captain and give him full support for a year. If he doesn't perform, then make changes," he further added.