Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the Champions Trophy 2025 sparked emotional reactions from their fans and former cricketers. Wasim Akram, the legendary former captain and bowling great, launched a furious rant aimed at Mohammad Rizwan’s men when the side suffered a one-sided defeat to arch-rivals India last Sunday, suggesting a complete overhaul of the side. However, this rant didn’t sit well with another former skipper, Shahid Afridi.
Wasim Akram had stated that Pakistan need to let go of the underperforming stars, and bring in youngsters to prepare for the next year’s T20 World Cup.
Pakistan’s winless run in Champions Trophy 2025 has enraged fans and former cricketers
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has taken a swipe at legendary pacer Wasim Akram after the latter had suggested to drop a host of stars from the national team. Akram’s remarks came after Pakistan’s early exit from the Champions Trophy, following the defeats to New Zealand and India, respectively, in Group A. Pakistan failed to win a single game as their final group match against Bangladesh was washed out due to rain in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
Pakistan had a torrid outing in the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 with no wins in the league game and ended up at the bottom of the table.
Wasim Akram, while speaking on Ten Sports, lashed out at Mohammad Rizwan and co, urging the selectors to take some brave calls for the betterment of the team. Wasim Akram suggested that Pakistan should already start planning for the next big event, the 2026 T20 World Cup. Now, Afridi, who made his debut under Wasim Akram’s captaincy, has now reacted to his former teammate’s remarks. Afridi suggested that while it’s easy to get carried away after a few bad results, he questioned Wasim Akram whether Pakistan have players to replace the big stars.
Shahid Afridi challenges Wasim Akram on live TV after he demands 6-7 players’ ouster from Pakistan Champions Trophy team
Former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi on Friday challenged compatriot Wasim Akram on live television after he demanded that six to seven players from the current team need to be ousted, after a disappointing Champions Trophy campaign at home. Wasim Akram had said that Pakistan are required to let go of the underperforming cricketers and bring in young names to prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
“Enough is enough. We are losing in white-ball with these players from some couple of years. The time is to take a bold step. What is the bold step? As Waqar Younis was saying, bring young players, fearless cricketers and bring them in white ball cricket,” Akram said while speaking on Dressing Room.
While Afridi acknowledged that it is normal to get carried away after losses such as the one against India, he criticised Akram’s remark about dropping a few of Pakistan’s stars altogether.
“I was listening to Wasim bhai that day. Yes, we all got carried away by emotions (after the loss to India). He said that 6-7 players need to be dropped from the side. Wasim bhai, I just have one question for you,” Afridi said while speaking on Samaa TV.
“Do you have 6-7 players on the bench who can replace them? Do you have players of those standards in domestic cricket? Have we groomed them in the academies?” Afridi asked.
Pakistan were eliminated from the home tournament after not being able to win a single match. Their last group-stage game against Bangladesh was a washout. Dissatisfied fans are now calling for sweeping changes in Pakistan’s cricket structure beginning from the very top of the pyramid, days after the first ICC tournament in the country in almost three decades started.
This marks the third straight time Pakistan has bowed out in the group stages of an ICC tournament, after early exits in the T20 World Cup last year and the 2023 ODI World Cup. At a time when sides have embraced a fearless, aggressive approach, Pakistan seemed to be stuck in the past. Pakistan’s struggles were glaring, as they showed no urgency, playing a staggering 161 dot deliveries against New Zealand in Rawalpindi and 147 against India in Dubai.