Follow UsFormer Pakistan captain Wasim Akram hits out at his team's poor performance at the World Cup. Pakistan have now lost three matches in a row, with the latest coming against Afghanistan in Chennai. Akram has questioned the Pakistan team's fitness after a series of misfields gifted Afghanistan vital runs after their batters put up 282.
This was Pakistan's first-ever One-Day International (ODI) loss to Afghanistan after beating them seven times in a row.
“It was embarrassing today. To reach 280-odd losing just two wickets is pretty big. Wet pitch or no, look at the fielding and the fitness levels. We’ve been screaming for the last three weeks that these players haven’t undergone a fitness test in the last two years," Akram said on A Sports.
"If I start taking individual names, their faces will drop. Looks like these guys are eating 8 kilos of mutton every day. Should there not be tests."
Akram believes that there has be certain criteria when it comes to fielding and fitness for the players to represent their countries.
"Professionally, you guys are getting paid, playing for your country. There has to be a certain criteria. Misbah [ul-Haq], when he was coach, had that criteria. Players hated him but it worked. Fielding is all about fitness and that’s where we are lacking. Now we have reached that same position, where we will pray for ifs and buts to happen," the former pacer said.
After winning the first two games, Pakistan have now lost three in a row, which has now put them in a tricky situation. They will hope to get their campaign back on track when they take on South Africa in Chennai on Friday (October 27).