Picture Credit: Twitter
After an exciting group stages of T20 World Cup 2021, the tournament is set to enter the Super 12 stage this weekend. On Sunday, India and Pakistan are set to face each other in the highly-anticipated contest in Dubai and there are already many former cricketers who have come ahead and voiced their opinion on the famous cricket rivalry.
However, former Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar did not look too excited about the game as he was more concerned looking at the bigger picture. Before talking about the match, the 46-year-old made some very bold and thought-provoking statements which will surely draw the attention of whole cricket fraternity.
Reflecting on the point that the current generation of cricketers have become careless and why they do not give due respect to Test cricket, Shoaib Akhtar was very candid and honest with his answer as he blamed International Cricket Council for the same.
Akhtar unhappy with ICC for spending so much money on T20 cricket
In conversation with Aaj Tak on their show 'Salaam Cricket', Akhtar said, "Who made it careless? It’s the ICC. Why is the ICC promoting T20 cricket so much? It seems we have forgotten other formats. With the amount of money being injected into T20 cricket, I am scared that in the next 4-5 years, we will have only leagues all over the world and then 2 World Cups, much like what is happening with football."
The former Pakistani pacer asked a question, "Why is the ICC not promoting Test cricket?" which no one had an answer to. He added that there are only four teams currently - India, Australia, England and New Zealand - who are playing Test cricket, with Pakistan and other teams way behind them in the longest format reeling at bottom of the rankings.
Only India can save Test cricket: Shoaib Akhtar
The 46-year-old was visibly upset with the world cricket governing body as he went on to claim that only India can save Test cricket now. "You (India) run the world cricket right now. Only India can save Test cricket today. We can't do anything."
Akhtar concluded his point by stating that former players like Sunil Gavaskar and Wasim Akram (who are the greats of cricket) need to raise their voice against the downfall of longest format of game to save Test cricket.
