Pakistan’s captain Salman Agha talks to his teammates. (AP/PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Legendary fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar did not hold back in a scathing post-mortem of Pakistanâ€s Asia Cup 2025 final loss to India, hitting out at the team management, captain Salman Ali Agha, coach Mike Hesson, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Akhtar highlighted what he sees as systemic flaws in Pakistan cricket that have left the team lacking aggression and character.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Humey ab shareef bacche chahiyen, jo aaath baje curfew legake ghar pey bait jaayen. Cricket board ko in jaisey bechare, lallu-kattu chahiye. They donâ€t want strong personalities. This is the reflection of the PCB policies,†Akhtar said on ARY News , using his trademark blunt style.The former speedster criticised captain Salman Agha for failing to inspire, saying, “Where will the attitude come when the captain is not inspiring? The captain is a reflection of the boardâ€s choices.†He also blamed coach Mike Hesson for sticking to “half-baked allrounders†instead of backing match-winners like Hasan Nawaz.
India vs Pakistan breaks out between journalists in Dubai during Salman Agha press conference
“Senseless and headless-chicken management. The team combinations werenâ€t right, the captaincy wasnâ€t spot-on, and they werenâ€t willing to listen to us,†he added.Akhtar used humour to underline his point about Pakistanâ€s vanishing fast-bowling heritage. He lamented the shift from aggressive talent to “obedient kids†who are easier to manage, claiming the PCB has discouraged strong personalities.
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He also discussed why he has avoided cricket administration after retirement: “From the first day after my retirement, I had decided I will never join PCB as whoever has gone there has never come out with respect. I work in TV, take money, and sit. These guys donâ€t want strong personalities.â€Akhtarâ€s analysis of Pakistanâ€s Asia Cup final highlighted poor strategic decisions, including dropping Hasan Nawaz, questionable bowling changes, and a fragile middle order. He criticised giving Haris Rauf the final over, which leaked 17 runs, calling it a “big mistake.â€He also proposed reforms to the PCB, advocating grassroots development, regional teams, and a PSL 2.0 to nurture young talent — contrasting Pakistanâ€s system with Indiaâ€s well-structured domestic pathway.“Now there is Mohsin Naqvi, next time koi aur saab aa jayenge. Unless you bring in a visionary educated man… history will remember if you start this,†Akhtar said.For Shoaib Akhtar, the Asia Cup 2025 final was more than a loss on the scoreboard — it symbolised the failures of a system that, in his view, values obedient players over true cricketing talent.
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