He has questioned the team's chances of winning the Champions Trophy
Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal has hit out at the Men in Green and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi regarding questionable team selections for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Akmal admitted that the current Pakistan squad has several loopholes and is doubtful if the Mohammad Rizwan-led outfit can even make the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy.
Pakistan have not won a major ICC tournament since winning the previous edition of the Champions Trophy in 2017. They endured a league-stage exit from the 2023 ODI World Cup and were ousted from the group stage of the T20 World Cup 2024. Adding to their woes is a bottom-of-the-table finish in the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
“Pakistan ki team aisi hai chal jaaye toh chand tak, warna shaam tak. Our team has many loopholes. The bowling is struggling. Spinners are not there. The openers are struggling. I don’t know what the selectors and the captain thought. Even our chairman gave his approval. Let’s see how things unfold. The rest of the teams look much more balanced,” Kamran told Hindustan Times.
Akmal predicted India, New Zealand, England and South Africa to qualify for the semi-finals. “We could have announced a better team. I think India, New Zealand, England, and South Africa will make the semi-finals. Australia is depleted because five key players have been injured. I don’t know the thought process behind picking such a Pakistani team,” the 43-year-old continued.
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Akmal slammed PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi and reiterated that he doesn’t see Pakistan making the final of the eight-team tournament. “The chairman hasn’t played that much cricket; he doesn’t understand matters, perhaps, so he gave his approval for such a team. India look clear favourites; they deserve to play the final. But I can’t say the same about Pakistan. If they make the semi-final, I would consider it a big achievement,” he commented.
Pakistan are hosting an ICC event for the first time since 1996, when the country co-hosted the ODI World Cup along with India ad Sri Lanka. The Mohammad Rizwan-led outfit are in Group A (Same as India) and will play the opening match of the Champions Trophy against New Zealand in Karachi on Wednesday.
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