The situation in Pakistan following the shock exit from the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 has just gotten worse with time. The whole dressing room along with the skipper, Babar Azam have received a lot of heat from the Pakistani media, former players and legends for their underwhelming performances throughout the T20 World Cup.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has also been bashed for its incompetent decision-making skills ahead of the competition with former legends like Wasim Akram demanding a complete revamp of the team.
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Former player and captain, Salman Butt has also joined the party, going after the team’s former technical director, Mohammed Hafeez for his remarks on Australia’s legendary wicketkeeper, Adam Gilchrist’s podcast, Club Prairie. Hafeez served as the team’s director up until February 2024.
Hafeez made a big revelation on the Club Prairie podcast, claiming that some players of the team were sleeping in the dressing room while playing a test.
You tell me Gilly, if a player is sleeping in the dressing room and we are playing Test cricket… Four-five players were sleeping in the dressing room, should I allow that as a team director?
Following these statements, Butt has come forward to slam Hafeez for his words, questioning his contributions during his tenure as the team director.
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Salman Butt slams Mohammad Hafeez for his incompetent decisions as Pakistan team director
Talking on a podcast with Cricket Baithak, Butt questioned Hafeez’s leadership skills and the decisions that he took during his time as director. He seemed agitated over Hafeez’s words on the Club Prairie podcast, as he claimed Hafeez has shifted the blame instead of taking responsibility for his own actions.
You are complaining about your internal conflicts with the outside world. You are the team director, you selected players who would have never made it to the squad otherwise. You can conduct fitness tests, what kind of incompetence is this? This is a question mark on your leadership. And you are going to Adam Gilchrist's show and complaining that no one listens to me.
Butt also talked about Hafeez’s criticism over the inclusion of Mohammad Amir, who came out of retirement to play for Pakistan in the T20 World Cup.
When someone else brings back Mohammad Amir then you have a problem but when you call him, that is okay. If you are the coach, bringing him back is justified, if not it's wrong.
Salman Butt slams Mohammad Hafeez for what he said on Adam Gilchrist's podcast 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/iNVy5ZNsQm
— Thakur (@hassam_sajjad) June 20, 2024
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What’s next for Pakistan cricket team?
Pakistan cricket team are in dire need following their underwhelming World Cup campaign. They will soon be shifting their focus from the shorter format of the game as the ICC Champions Trophy marks its return after eight years in February next year. Pakistan will be hosting the entire tournament, defending their title win from 2017.
But before that, Gary Kirsten will need to dig deep along with the Board to build a strong team and put an end to the abysmal run of form they have been in since the 2022 T20 World Cup final.
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