Pakistan's unexpected elimination from the Champions Trophy 2025 elicited strong emotional responses from fans and former cricketers alike. Wasim Akram, the esteemed former captain and bowling legend, expressed his frustration towards Mohammad Rizwan's team following their lopsided defeat against arch-rivals India last Sunday, advocating for a complete revamp of the squad. This outburst, however, did not resonate well with another former captain, Shahid Afridi.

Akram emphasized the necessity for Pakistan to part ways with underperforming players and to introduce younger talent in preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup next year.

“Enough is enough. We have been losing in white-ball formats with these players for the past couple of years. It is time to take decisive action. What does that entail? As Waqar Younis suggested, we should incorporate young, fearless cricketers into the white-ball format. Even if it requires making 5-6 significant changes, we should proceed, endure losses for the next six months, and support these players. We must start forming the team for the 2026 T20 World Cup now,” Akram stated on the television program, Dressing Room.

In contrast, Afridi recognized that it is common to become emotionally charged after defeats like the one against India, but he criticized Akram's suggestion to completely drop several of Pakistan's established players.

“I was listening to Wasim bhai that day. Yes, we all tend to get carried away by emotions after a loss to India. He mentioned that 6-7 players should be removed from the team. Wasim bhai, I have just one question for you: do you have 6-7 players on the bench who can replace them? Are there players of that calibre in domestic cricket? Have we developed them in our academies?” Afridi remarked on Samaa TV.

“We might consider dropping players, but who will we bring in? Even if we do make changes, there will be complaints again. The PCB will claim that we are preparing for the World Cup, and once that is done, the cycle of surgery will begin anew.”

Pakistan winless

Pakistan did not secure a victory in any of their matches during the home Champions Trophy campaign, culminating in their last group match being abandoned due to rain against Bangladesh. This incident signifies the first occasion that the host nation has experienced a winless streak in the tournament since its rebranding in 2002.

Rizwan's team is scheduled to resume play on March 16, facing New Zealand in an away T20I series.

Read Also: Rizwan 'Looked Lost' Against India, Unusually Silent – Pakistan Legend Left Baffled

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