Pakistan great Wasim Akram has sharply criticized Pakistan’s cricket system, questioning young batters’ technique, bowling development, selection decisions and the lack of quality talent emerging from domestic cricket.
LAHORE, Pakistan — Sept. 11, 2026: Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has launched a scathing critique of the country’s cricket system, saying the time has come for officials to “tell the nation the truth” about the problems behind the national team’s repeated failures.
Speaking to the media in Lahore on Friday, Akram said he had closely followed Pakistan cricket, particularly the Pakistan Super League (PSL), for the past five to six years and believed many of the problems were rooted well below the international level.
He said Pakistan’s defeats to Bangladesh in home and away series should have served as an early warning.
“We lost to Bangladesh in home and away series. The alarm bells had already rung a long time ago, but nothing was done about it,” Akram said.
The former fast bowler argued that changing coaches would not solve Pakistan’s problems unless the country developed a stronger pool of players at grassroots level.
“Bring the best coach in the world, bring me in or bring Gary Kirsten — the players you have available are the ones who will play,” he said.
Akram Questions PSL’s Batting Production
Akram also questioned the impact of the PSL on Pakistan’s batting talent, saying the tournament had produced promising fast bowlers but had failed to develop a comparable crop of high-quality batters during its first decade.
He pointed to the emergence of young talent in neighboring India and suggested Pakistan should have identified similarly exceptional prospects by now.
“If we had such talent, we would have known about it by now,” he said.
His criticism extended to the technical shortcomings of Pakistan’s current batters. Akram said some players were failing to get their front foot forward and were attempting to play quality bowlers while remaining rooted inside the crease.
He also warned against becoming overly excited about young fast bowlers simply because they can occasionally reach speeds of 150 kph.
“Bowling one ball at 150 is not a big achievement,” Akram said. “Maintaining 140 kph throughout the day is the real achievement.”
Calls for Greater Variety in Bowling Attack
Akram also discussed Shaheen Shah Afridi, saying the experienced fast bowler remained important for difficult overseas assignments such as England, while questioning the reduction in his pace.
He criticized what he described as a lack of variety in Pakistan’s fast-bowling attack and said he would have selected Aaqib Javed after his recent performances in England.
“In our time, there was variety in the bowling attack. Everyone was not the same,” he said.
Akram urged the Pakistan Cricket Board to show patience with its revamped domestic structure instead of repeatedly changing systems.
He recommended investing heavily in club cricket, particularly in Karachi and Lahore, arguing that genuine talent is developed at the grassroots level.
“The real talent comes from club cricket,” he said, calling for significant investment in the two cities.
Akram also expressed concern about Pakistan’s struggles in red-ball cricket, saying he was as disappointed as ordinary Pakistani fans when the national team failed to perform.
His message was blunt: Pakistan’s cricket problems cannot be fixed simply by changing coaches or selecting players on short-term performances. The system, he suggested, needs sustained investment, better technical development, greater selection consistency and patience.
