Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has raised serious concerns about the state of Pakistan cricket, arguing that the team’s current struggles are the result of problems that have been building for years. As Pakistan continues to face difficulties against England, the legendary pacer believes the issues extend far beyond the national team and are deeply connected to weaknesses in the country’s domestic cricket structure.
Wasim Akram decodes main problem with Pakistan
Akram has often been viewed as one of the biggest names who could contribute to the development of Pakistan cricket. However, the former fast bowler believes the challenges facing the sport in the country are too complicated for one individual to solve.
Speaking ahead of the third Test against England at Edgbaston, Akram explained that the national team’s problems begin much lower down the cricketing system. He pointed towards a lack of quality players coming through the domestic ranks and questioned the stability of the first-class structure.
“I get asked all the time, ‘Can you do something to help Pakistan cricket?’ But the issues are a lot deeper. These are the top players, there’s nothing else there. The systems aren’t there below that,” Akram told The Athletic.
He further stressed the importance of consistency and patience in domestic cricket, claiming that both have been missing in recent years.
“The first-class structure domestically has been all over the place the last few years and there’s no consistency, no patience. But in Pakistan we have a saying: ‘You can only clap with two hands’,” he added.
All 3 departments are under scruitny
Akram was particularly critical of Pakistan’s performances in all three major areas of the game. Rather than identifying one weakness, he believes the team is currently struggling across the board. The former captain admitted that he had expected Pakistan to face a difficult series against England even before the teams took the field. In fact, Akram revealed that he had predicted a 3-0 result in England’s favour.
“I knew before the series we were going to lose 3-0 to England. Our batting is struggling, our bowling is below average and our fielding is worse. It’s not rocket science,” Akram explained.
Pakistan’s decision to hand Test debuts to multiple players at Edgbaston has further underlined the concerns surrounding squad depth. While giving youngsters opportunities is an important part of rebuilding a team, the number of inexperienced players entering the side has also raised questions about the strength of the domestic pipeline.
For Akram, the solution cannot simply involve changing the captain, coach or a handful of players. He believes meaningful improvement requires structural changes that can create a more reliable pathway from domestic cricket to the international stage.
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