Fakhar Zaman doesn't have brain: Shoaib Akhtar lashes out at Lahore Qalandars opener

It is a brand new season of the Pakistan Super League but not much has changed for Lahore Qalandars as they continue to underwhelm in the franchise-based league. Qalandars are firmly placed at the nadir of the points table after having lost each of their first three encounters and with one win.

One of the major reasons behind the consistent failures of Qalandars is the inability of their senior batsmen in Fakhar Zaman, Chris Lynn, and Mohammad Hafeez to adapt their game according to the situation. Fakhar’s form, in particular, is a big worry for the Qalandars think-tank. The southpaw has managed just 74 runs in three games at an average of 24.66 and a strike-rate of 125.42.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has come down hard on the left-hander. Akhter termed Zaman as ‘brainless’, for his inability to adapt his game as per situation, especially while playing with a belligerent player like Chris Lynn.

“The person who doesn’t have a brain is Fakhar Zaman. When you have one player [Chris Lynn] who is already playing fast, then Fakhar needs to understand that he can slow down a bit. Chris Lynn is not some Viv Richards. Lynn plays well where there is equal bounce like Australia. He is a good aggressive player, but you need just one aggressive player like that,” Shoaib Akhtar said on his official YouTube channel.

Shoaib Akhtar lambasts Qalandars batting approach

Akhtar reckoned that Qalandars’ batting line-up is made of one-trick ponies, who do not adapt according to the surface and instead of maneuvering the strike play ‘senseless’ shots

“Qalandars batting line-up is made up of similar kind of batsmen who just believe in senseless hitting. You can play aggressively and take chances in the powerplay, but in the next 14 overs you need to know how to anchor the innings, take quick singles and then finish well.” Akhtar said.

This is not the first time that the Rawalpindi Express has lashed out at Fakhar Zaman. Akhtar had previously lambasted Zaman for his poor show against India in the 2019 World Cup, questioning his technique and temperament. Meanwhile, Zaman still has a few chances to prove his detractors wrong and it will be interesting to see how he fares in the upcoming matches.