Former Pakistan player Danish Kaneria has lashed out at former cricketers like Wasim Akram for harshly criticizing the dismal performance of the Pakistan cricket team in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
In the wake of Pakistan’s exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup, Kaneria said that former Pakistani legends should actively support the national team instead of simply criticizing from the sidelines.
Denmark’s Kaneria criticizes Wasim Akram and Co. for criticizing Pakistan’s performance in T20 World Cup 2024
Kaneria emphasized that former cricketers like Akram should step in to help the team directly. He questioned why the legendary Pakistani pacer did not address the controversial selection of Mohammad Amir, suggesting that veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik would have been a better option.
Dane Kaneria was quoted by Times Now: “Look, Wasim Akram and the other people can only preach from outside. Why don’t they come and help the Pakistani side? Why didn’t Wasim Akram immediately say that Mohammad Amir’s election was not justifiable? Compared to Amir, Shoaib Malik should have been asked to play. He is still a much better player than these guys.”
The former spinner also pointed out that Pakistan’s preparation for the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 was not enough and that they should have started preparations for the mega event a year earlier.
He further suggested that the Pakistan cricket team should have identified and trained a core group of 20 to 22 players a year in advance, and then should have selected the best 15 players from this group.
They are the masters of U-turn: Kaneria on Pakistan team management
Kaneria also criticized the current management of the Pakistan cricket team for its inconsistent decisions and for not taking responsibility for the team’s failures in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.
The former Pakistan spinner added: “They should have picked 20-22 guys in the camp and they would have picked the best 15 of them. Tell me, where were Mohammad Amir and Azam Khan 6 months ago? Did they play for Pakistan? There is a major problem with the management of the Pakistan team.
They will wake up in the morning and say something and then make a U-turn at night. They are the masters of change of direction. If you are building a team, make it yours and take on that responsibility. If the team wins, it’s theirs, why don’t you accept your faults if the team loses? They are selfish because they believe they are perfect and cannot make mistakes.”
Discussing possible captaincy options for Pakistan, Kaneria suggested that Mohammad Rizwan could be a strong candidate due to his role as a goalkeeper, or that the national selectors could consider reinstating Shaheen Afridi as white-ball captain. However, he believes that the PCB should appoint a senior player as captain and appoint a junior player as vice-captain.
Danish Kaneria predicts the 2024 T20 World Cup, semi-finalists
Looking ahead, Kaneria shared his predictions for the semi-finalists of the T20 World Cup 2024. He believes that the West Indies and India will surely reach the semi-finals, but he also highlighted the potential of underdog teams like the United States, saying they can give a surprise on the world stage.
Kaneria signed off by saying: “I think West Indies will be there, India should also make the cut. You never know, on any given day, the smaller teams play like they have nothing to lose. I feel that USA can do wonders, their players have played in the Ranji Trophy and other tournaments. “The technical staff and coaches have worked very well, you never know, the United States could reach the semifinals.”