After India defeated Pakistan by 61 runs in a one-sided T20 World Cup match at the R. Premadasa Stadium, former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar launched a scathing attack on Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi, blaming years of poor leadership and poor decisions for the team’s decline.
Shoaib Akhtar’s direct attack on PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi
Speaking to ABP News immediately after the match, Akhtar did not hold back. He questioned the top leadership of Pakistan cricket and blamed the board for the team’s current difficulties.
He said, “A man who knows nothing has become the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. What can you do? How will the team function?”
He also criticized the system for promoting underperforming players, saying, “You have made a superstar out of a player who can’t win you a single match.”
Akhtar said that wrong appointments have harmed Pakistan cricket over time. “The biggest crime in the world is giving special jobs to incompetent people.”
He also called Naqvi “incompetent and ‘ignorant'” and said he was unfit to lead the board.
Mohsin Naqvi left the stadium early after Pakistan lost
When Pakistan’s chase collapsed, Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Home Minister, was seen leaving the R. Premadasa Stadium before the end of the match.
A video showing Naqvi leaving in a black car has been widely shared on social media. While there is no official reason for his early departure, it happened when Pakistan was losing wickets quickly during the chase.
India crushed Pakistan with a stellar bat and ball performance
India posted a competitive total of 175/7, thanks to a brilliant 77 from Ishan Kishan. Useful contributions from Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube further added to the total.
Pakistan’s reply never got going. Babar Azam’s early dismissal reduced the team’s score to 13/3 in just two overs. Although Usman Khan attempted a comeback with 44 runs off 34 balls, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals.
India’s bowlers maintained control throughout the innings. Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Varun Chakravarthy shared the wickets, and Pakistan was bowled out for 114 runs in 18 overs.