Follow UsShoaib Akhtar has launched a scathing attack on Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha, head coach Mike Hesson, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and its chairman Mohsin Naqvi after the team’s defeat to India in the Asia Cup 2025 final in Dubai. Pakistan faced India three times in the tournament and lost on all three occasions.
Akhtar lashed out at what he described as a lack of strong characters in the side. “Humey ab shareef bacche chahiyen, jo aaath baje curfew lagake ghar pey bait jaayen. Cricket board ko in jaisey bechare, lallu-kattu chahiye. They don’t want strong personalities. This is the reflection of the PCB policies,” Akhtar said on ARY News, as quoted by the TOI.
He also tore into Agha, who has often spoken about adopting an “aggressive brand of cricket,” despite his own performances suggesting the opposite. The Pakistan skipper scored just 72 runs in seven innings at an average of 12 and a strike rate of 80.89. Among batters who made at least 70 runs in the tournament, he was the only one with a strike rate below 100.
“Where will the attitude come when the captain is not inspiring? The captain is a reflection of the board’s choices. Senseless and headless-chicken management. The team combinations weren’t right, the captaincy wasn’t spot-on, and they weren’t willing to listen to us,” the former Pakistan paceman added.
"Pakistan team’s performances are a reflection of the coaches. You have brought in a coach (Mike Hesson) who isn’t willing to listen to stuff. We have died here (on channels) telling him, play one more fast bowler bhai, and one more batsman in Hasan Nawaz. But the coach says no, he wants to play half-baked all-rounders. They can't win you the matches in critical situations."
Akhtar then turned his ire towards Naqvi and made it clear he has no interest in ever working with the PCB. “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.
“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 don’t want strong personalities.”
In the final, Pakistan were cruising at 113/1 in 12.4 overs before an astonishing collapse saw them lose their last nine wickets for just 33 runs, folding for 146 in 19.1 overs.
India’s chase began disastrously, with Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Suryakumar Yadav dismissed with the score at 20. However, Tilak Varma (69* off 53) anchored the innings and found vital support from Sanju Samson (24 off 21) and Shivam Dube (33 off 22), sealing a five-wicket win for India with two balls to spare.