Sarfaraz Ahmed should step down, Haris Sohail and Babar Azam must be named captains, reckons Shoaib Akhtar
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Shoaib Akhtar has stated that Pakistan needs to remove Sarfaraz Ahmed from his role as skipper and hand the reins to talented young bloods such as Babar Azam and Haris Sohail. Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had vowed to turn things around and fix the country’s cricketing system.
Shoaib Akhtar over the past has criticized the decisions taken by Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed multiple times, and during the World Cup went so far as to call him a ‘brainless captain’. The legendary fast bowler has backed up his claim yet again, stating that the captain’s resignation is the best way for the cricketing team to move forward and improve.
The 32-year-old is currently the national team skipper in all the three formats of the game having taken charge in 2017. He has a win percentage of 62.1 percent in the 95 games he has led his team in.
“He should be used for his wicket-keeping and batting skills. No way should he continue as captain of the team. He should not be the captain in any format,” the Hindustan Times stated the Rawalpindi Express saying so in a Youtube video as per cricketpakistan.com.pk.
The latest setback for the Green Army came in the form of a first-round exit in the recently concluded World Cup, with Sarfaraz Ahmed’s job having come into question throughout the country considering some of the decisions he took. With emerging batsman Babar Azam pegged to be the future of Pakistan cricket and already having enough experience under his belt, Akhtar believes the 25-year-old is ready to assume charge of affairs in red-ball cricket. He picked Haris Sohail to lead the team in limited-overs after his inclusion in the squad rejuvenated the team’s performance in the World Cup and saved them some face.
“Haris Sohail should be made the captain. He should captain the side in ODIs and T20Is. They should test him [Babar Azam] in Test cricket. I wish him the best. He has scored a lot of runs,” Akhtar quipped.
Former cricketer Imran Khan has also in the past tried to advise Sarfaraz Khan through online channels, and being the Prime Minister, has taken responsibility to turn things around as far as the sport is concerned in the country.
“I went to England where I learned to play cricket. When we returned from there we raised the standard of other players. After the World Cup I have decided that I will fix the Pakistan cricket team,” he told a packed arena of overseas Pakistanis.
Imran Khan was a true professional and a gentleman of the game. He is the only Pakistan captain to have ever lifted the World Cup trophy.
“The team you see in the next world cup, remember my words that team will be a professional team. We will fix the system and bring one in which the best talent comes forward,” concluded Khan.
