(Image Source: Getty Images)
[Saba Sports News] Aakash Chopra and Virender Sehwag, former Indian cricketers, have lambasted the Pakistan cricket team for attributing their recent loss to Afghanistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup to Naseem Shah’s absence. This defeat marked Pakistan’s third consecutive loss in the tournament, following defeats by India and Australia.
Chopra expressed his disapproval of Pakistan’s performance and urged fans to question their team’s lackluster showing. He also highlighted Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the 2023 Asia Cup, where they finished fourth. Chopra argued that while Naseem Shah is a talented bowler, using his absence as an excuse for three consecutive losses is unacceptable. He called upon Pakistanis to direct their questions toward the PCB, questioning how their team had reached this point.
In contrast, Sehwag criticized Babar Azam and the team for failing to address their weaknesses and praised Afghanistan for securing their first-ever ODI victory over Pakistan. He emphasized that Pakistan’s unpredictable nature had led to this outcome and criticized their tendency to make excuses for their previous defeats.
For those unaware, Naseem Shah was sidelined from the World Cup due to a shoulder injury sustained during the Asia Cup. The 20-year-old cricketer injured his shoulder during a rain-interrupted Super Four match against India at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium in September. He has since undergone shoulder surgery in his road to recovery.