The ‘Rawalpindi Express’ Shoaib Akhtar did not mince his words as he lashed out at the Pakistan team and its management following their crushing defeat to India in the Champions Trophy clash in Dubai on Sunday.
The loss marked Pakistan’s second consecutive defeat in the tournament, hanging their chances of advancing to the next stage by a thread.
In a video posted on his social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), Shoaib Akhtar expressed his frustration with the team’s lack of planning and strategic clarity, calling the management “brainless” and “cruel.” The former speedster said he was not surprised by the result, saying:
I am not disappointed because I already knew what was going to happen when you don’t select a fifth bowler. The world is playing with six bowlers, and you can’t even select five. You take two all-rounders with you—I don’t know what you’re thinking.
Akhtar also accused the management of failing to equip the players with the necessary skills and understanding to compete at the highest level.
“It’s just a brainless and cruel management, and I am really disappointed. What can we even say about the players? The management is like this, so the players are the same. They have no clue what they are supposed to do,” he said.
The former pacer also questioned the players’ intent and skillset, drawing comparisons to Indian players like Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill. “Intent is one thing, but they don’t even understand their skillset. In fact, they don’t even have a skillset. Do you think they will play lofted shots like Virat or Shubman? Really disappointing. Neither do they understand anything, nor does the management. They just went there to play,” he added.
While Pakistan struggled, Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli delivered a masterclass, scoring an unbeaten century to guide his team to a comfortable six-wicket victory. Kohli’s 100 not out off 111 balls was the highlight of the match, as he anchored India’s chase with poise and precision.
Despite his criticism of Pakistan, Shoaib Akhtar was full of praise for India, especially Virat Kohli. “Hats off to Virat Kohli—he is a superstar, a white-ball run chaser, a modern-day great. There is no doubt about it. And I am really happy for him. He is an honest guy. He has also completed 14,000 runs. This guy has achieved it all, and he deserves all the praise,” Akhtar said.