Former cricketers Aakash Chopra and Virender Sehwag criticized Pakistan cricket for attributing Naseem Shah’s absence as a justification for their disappointing performance in the 2023 World Cup.
The Men in Green initiated their campaign with victories against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka. Nonetheless, a sequence of three consecutive losses to India, Australia, and Afghanistan has left their campaign in disarray.
On Monday, Pakistan was defeated by Hashmatullah Shahidi’s Afghanistan by eight wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Chopra expressed the view that Pakistani fans should be asking questions of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) following the Men in Green’s subpar performance since the Asia Cup 2023. Sehwag, on the other hand, criticized Pakistan for neglecting to address their weaknesses.
Chopra conveyed his perspective on a platform (unspecified), stating, “Naseem Shah is undeniably a talented bowler. However, resorting to his absence as an excuse for losing three consecutive matches is evading responsibility. The Pakistani audience on this platform should direct their questions to the PCB. They finished fourth in the Asia Cup, and now in the World Cup, it’s a concerning situation.”
Sehwag commented, “Pakistan is known for its unpredictability, but the way they’ve been making feeble excuses for their previous defeats, this outcome was foreseeable. They failed to address their numerous shortcomings. It’s a moment of pride for Afghanistan, as they came close on several occasions, and today, they crossed the finish line.”
Naseem was sidelined from the World Cup due to a shoulder injury sustained during the Asia Cup Super Four match at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. He recently underwent shoulder surgery.
In the 2023 World Cup, Pakistan currently holds the fifth position in the standings with four points and a net run rate of -0.400, having secured victory in two out of five matches. Their upcoming match is against South Africa on Friday, October 27, at the Chepauk.
