Shoaib Akhtar has expressed utter disappointment following Pakistan's scathing 61-run loss to arch-rivals India in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 during
Match No. 27 on Sunday, February 15, at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Akhtar has openly launched an attack on Pakistan Cricket Board's chief, Mohsin Naqvi, saying that the latter has been extremely incapable of handling the cricket operations in the country.
The former Pakistani pacer has opined that Naqvi, who is also the Internal Minister and leads the Narcotics Control ministry in the country, has infused a lot of politics into cricket ever since he has assumed the topmost chair in the board. The legendary cricketer further said that Naqvi is picking players based on past glory and star image rather than form and team strengths.
"Now one guy doesn’t even know he’s the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. How will the team run now? You’re saying one guy – you’ve made him a superstar – can’t win a single match. You’ve made him a star who can’t win a single living match," Akhtar said after the match via ABP News.
"Brother, when you make these kinds of stars, when you choose them, when you pick them, then you’ll have this problem only. But again, the point is, if you see, do you know what the biggest crime in the world is? The biggest crime in the world is that you give a big job to an incompetent person," the former cricketer added.
Notably, this was India's eighth win against Pakistan in the history of T20 World Cups since they first defeated the opposition in the 2007 edition. In fact, the Men in Green have won only once against the Indians, back in 2021 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India have thus far maintained a strong dominance in the rivalry and have continued to prove why they are the world's No. 1-ranked T20I team.
