Shoaib Akhtar critical of PCB after Pakistan’s loss to India in the 2020 U19 World Cup

Shoaib Akhtar, the former Pakistan fast bowler, is furious over the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after Pakistan’s 10-win defeat against India in the U19 World Cup. In the semi-final at the Senwes Park in Potchefstroom, Rohail Nazir’s men were found wanting in all three departments.

In the game, India chased down 176 with 14.4 overs to spare courtesy Yashasvi Jaiswal’s century. As a result, the Boys in Blue booked their place in the final on Sunday, February 9 in Potchefstroom. Pakistan, on the other hand, would be fighting for the third spot in the mega event.

Akhtar lashed out at the PCB, saying that the Pakistan board has to pay their support staff adequately to get the desired results. The Rawalpindi Express also lavished praises on Rahul Dravid, under whom India won the 2018 U19 World Cup with Prithvi Shaw as the skipper.

Is that how you treat your stars?: Akhtar

“They got India’s best middle-order batsman Rahul Dravid for the coaching role in U-19 team. When you get a big guy, you need to pay him well. Here, Younis Khan went to take the job, the PCB offered him a job, and then they are bargaining with him.

’15 lakh nahi, 13 lakh le lo’ (take Rs 13 lakh and not Rs 15 lakh). He said, ‘take it back’. Is that how you treat your stars?” Akhtar was quoted as saying in his official YouTube channel.

“There is Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, I am here, just ask us. We will help the team. You think if we were a part of U-19 coaching staff, the team would have performed like this?” he added.

In the meantime, it’s not the first time when India got the better of Pakistan in the U19 World Cup semis. Back in 2018, the Boys in Green were bowled out for 69 after Shubman Gill, the Player of the Tournament, tormented them with a century.

As far as Dravid is concerned, he connected with the Indian team before the marquee clash. Even as the team is with coach Paras Mhambrey, Dravid set a short video and motivated the colts with his words of wisdom.