Shoaib Malik

New Delhi: Pakistan fast bowling legend Wasim Akram strongly criticised captain Babar Azam for not being “intelligent enough” with team selection and ...

“This is the captain’s job, it should be his vision on how to build a team for the World Cup keeping in mind the pitches. “We all know as sportsmen that winning and losing is part of the game but this was always on the cards. Shaun Tait (Pakistan’s bowling coach) should have gone to Shaheen Shah Afridi and said that ‘see the pitch is not conducive for bowling yorker-length (balls)’.” Apart from the bat, Pakistan were also guilty of letting Zimbabwe get to a playing start with excessive use of the yorker and overpitched deliveries as they conceded 42 runs in 4.5 overs. This is not a gully cricket team where anybody comes into the team on the basis of preferences. “I will go to any extent in selecting the team who can win you the World Cup.