Former Pakistan Opener Demands Changes to National Team After Early World Cup Exit
Pakistan's disastrous campaign at the ongoing T20 World Cup concluded even before the Super 12 stage following defeats to USA and India, resulting in their earliest exit from the tournament in years. This has led to renewed calls for changes to the national team set-up.
One of the most vocal critics of the current team has been former opener Ahmed Shehzad, who believes it is time for significant personnel changes. In a recent interview, Shehzad demanded the removal of five senior players – captain Babar Azam, wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, opener Fakhar Zaman and pacer Haris Rauf.
He cited that the group consisting of these experienced players have not delivered desired results despite getting ample opportunities over the past five years. Shehzad pointed out instances from recent matches where some players appeared more focused on personal milestones rather than pacing the innings as per the team's needs.
The out-of-favor batsman also took aim at recent decisions made by the Pakistan Cricket Board. This included reinstating Babar Azam as captain as well as appointing a former player as the new chief selector. Shehzad said these moves compounded the issues facing the national team.
He stressed on the need for wholesale changes to give other talented cricketers a chance. According to Shehzad, retaining the same core group will only enable complacency and politics within the dressing room to continue hampering the team's progress.
With Pakistan's early exit from the World Cup, the criticism is likely to grow in the coming days. It remains to be seen if the cricket board considers making any significant alterations to revive the team's struggling fortunes.
