Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has launched a scathing critique of the national men's cricket team, suggesting their current form is so poor that even the women's side could outplay them. Speaking
after Pakistan's recent string of disappointing results, Akhtar expressed deep concern over the men's team's lack of consistency and performance.
According to Akhtar, no player in the men's squad is performing to expectations, and the team's recent record paints a grim picture. In the past three weeks alone, Pakistan has suffered four defeats, including three consecutive losses to India in the 2025 Asia Cup, which includes the final. The most striking setback, Akhtar pointed out, came in the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 clash in Colombo, where Pakistan's women were defeated by India by 88 runs.
In that match, India posted a competitive total of 248, powered by Harleen Deol's 46 and a quickfire 35 off 20 balls from Richa Ghosh. In response, Pakistan was bowled out for just 159, with Kranti Gaud leading the Indian bowling attack by claiming three key wickets. The match was not without its controversies. Pakistan opener Muneeba Ali was run out in a highly unusual manner, and play had to be paused twice due to an unexpected influx of bugs on the field at R Premadasa Stadium. Additionally, tensions between the teams were evident as India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana refused to shake hands at the toss, continuing a recent trend of strained relations.
Akhtar used this result to underscore the men's team's struggles, stressing that unless urgent changes are made, Pakistan could continue to lag behind at the international level. He highlighted the irony that while the women's team continues to show resilience and fight, the men's team is failing to deliver results consistently, raising serious questions about team selection, preparation, and overall strategy.
The former pacer's blunt assessment serves as a wake-up call for Pakistan cricket, emphasizing that the men's team needs to regain its competitiveness quickly or risk falling further behind, even in comparison to their women's counterparts. India's commanding win also extended their head-to-head lead in Women's ODIs to 12-0, highlighting the gap that still exists between the two sides.
