Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar launched a scathing attack on the national cricket team after their heavy seven-wicket loss to India in the Asia Cup on Sunday. He said the side lacked the quality needed to compete with top international teams and called their performance “club-level cricket.”

India Controls the Game Completely

India dominated the high-voltage clash from the very beginning. Their bowlers dismantled Pakistan’s batting lineup, restricting them to a meager 127 for 9 in 20 overs.

Wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and all-rounder Axar Patel were the stars with the ball. They bowled with precision and discipline, leaving Pakistan’s batters struggling to score freely.

Shaheen Shah Afridi was the only Pakistani player to offer resistance. Coming in at the lower order, he played a fighting knock of 33 runs off just 16 balls. His innings, which included several towering sixes, helped Pakistan avoid complete humiliation.

However, India chased down the target with ease. Suryakumar Yadav’s fluent 47 off 37 balls guided the team to victory in just 15.5 overs. This dominant performance underlined the difference in class between the two rivals.

“We Are Playing Club-Level Cricket”

Akhtar did not hold back while criticizing Pakistan’s poor showing. He expressed deep frustration at their lack of skill, fight, and professionalism.

“It was a disappointing performance on all fronts. I think Saim Ayub was the pick of the bowlers. And it seems like we (Pakistan) have found ourselves a proper spinner finally, at 35 years of age,” he said sarcastically.

The former speedster pointed out the vast gap between Pakistan and the top cricketing nations.
“Of course, we got to witness and understand that there’s a vast difference in the quality of cricket that Pakistan plays compared to the rest of the world. Most of the other teams play a high level of cricket, while we are playing club-level cricket,” he remarked.

Batting Collapse Draws Harsh Criticism

Akhtar saved his strongest words for Pakistan’s fragile batting unit. He criticized them for yet another failure under pressure against India’s spinners and seamers.

“Our quality of batting was on full display — or rather, the lack thereof. Suryakumar Yadav was just playing sweeps and cuts to his heart’s content, having his way with our bowlers,” Akhtar fumed.

He also highlighted the irony of Afridi, a bowler, outscoring the top-order batsmen. “If you are going to tell me that playing the Indian spinners was very tricky, then why was Shaheen Shah Afridi able to hit 33 off 16 balls, with a handful of sixes?”

“Only Better Than Associates”

In his final assessment, Akhtar declared that Pakistan simply did not belong in the same league as elite cricketing nations. “We are lacking quality. We are not a team that can compete with the likes of South Africa, India, England, or Australia. We’re just a bit better than the associate members, is all,” he concluded.

The defeat not only sparked anger among fans but also intensified debates over Pakistan cricket’s future. With the Asia Cup loss exposing deep flaws, pressure is mounting on the players and management to rebuild the team before upcoming major tournaments.