The Pakistan team has been under a crisis particularly in Test cricket, following the team's shocking performance in the 10-wicket defeat against Bangladesh at Rawalpindi.
This was Pakistan's ninth consecutive winless Test match since August 2021 and Shan Masood's fourth consecutive defeat as captain of the team.
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal slammed the current set of players for their poor performances, particularly highlighting concerns regarding unity (i.e.) Masood-Shaheen Afridi incident, and accountability of the players.
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What did Kamran Akmal say about Pakistan's defeat to Bangladesh in the first Test match?
Pakistan fans have been concerned about the team's poor performances and in particular about reports of rift among the players in the team.
Akmal, who was speaking on ARY news was asked if there were issues among players in the dressing room, following a viral video on social media, which showed fast bowler Shaheen Afridi brushing off captain Shan Masood's hand off his shoulders. It suggested that all was not too well in the national team.
MORE: Trouble between Shan Masood and Shaheen Afridi?
"The incident is clearly on the camera for us to see. I have never seen such a instance where a player is unhappy with a captain keeping his hands on the player's shoulder, in fact, it gave us a motivation," Akmal said.
"I was surprised when I saw him [Shaheen Afridi] removing the captain's [Shan Masood] hand," he added.
The latest 10-wicket defeat to Bangladesh was particularly embarrassing for Pakistan as it was not only their first loss in Test cricket in decades to their opponents, but because the loss came on home soil.
"Let's keep other issues aside for a moment and think. Could you have even imagined Pakistan losing at home to a team like Bangladesh?"
"It is understandable to lose in white-ball cricket, because we have lost to many small teams, but Test Cricket was the only format left and now we have made a joke of ourselves in that too," he said.
"We can't see the process and progress of this Pakistan cricket team, from the management to the players. Players don't compete for spots anymore, so there is less pressure on them. The selectors and decision makers are also taking it easy and not picking the best performing players from domestic cricket," Akmal concluded.
The second Test match between Pakistan and Bangladesh will begin on August 30 at Rawalpindi, as the team fight it off again for a chance to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 Final.
MORE: PAK and ZIM: Only teams without a home Test win since 2021
