ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s pace sensation Shoib Akhtar on Friday lashed out at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the team management for their lackluster approach in the recently concluded test series against Australia – which Pakistan lost 1-0, while praising Cummins and co. for being “brave.”
“Absolutely disappointing series, this. Absolute nonsense. The mindset of both, the Pakistan Cricket Board and probably the team management was to draw this series. Neither they should win, nor us; just end this series in a draw,” Akhtar said on his official YouTube channel.
“But hats off to Australians. I’m genuinely happy for them. This is not their home, none of these players played in Pakistan before; they came here and play brave cricket. The bowlers didn’t know when the ball reverses in such conditions but both, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins put in the hard hours to learn the skills of the trade here. Nathan Lyon, who hasn’t toured Pakistan yet, took a five-wicket haul.”
Australia produced an emphatic performance on Day 5 of the final Test against Pakistan to clinch the three-match series 1-0 in Lahore. Setting up a 351-run target for the hosts to win, Australia bowled Pakistan out on 235, with spinner Nathan Lyon taking a five-wicket haul (5/83). The hosts suffered a middle-order collapse during the second session of the final day, as Pat Cummins was eventually rewarded for a brave declaration call on Day 4.
