Former Pakistan cricketer slams PCB chief, saying Men in Green have ‘many loopholes’ ahead of Champions Trophy 2025

Kamran Akmal Criticizes Pakistan’s Squad and PCB Chairman Ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal has expressed strong concerns over the selection of the national team for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Akmal, while reflecting on the current squad, pointed out several shortcomings and cast doubt on the team’s ability to progress beyond the semifinals.

Key Points:

• Pakistan’s Recent Performance: Pakistan has not secured a major ICC title since their 2017 Champions Trophy victory. Recent setbacks include a group-stage exit in the 2023 ODI World Cup and elimination from the group stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Additionally, the team finished last in the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
• Akmal’s Criticism of Team Selection: Kamran Akmal believes the current Pakistan squad has multiple weaknesses, including issues with the bowling attack, a lack of quality spinners, and underperforming openers. He questioned the selection decisions, which were approved by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, suggesting that these choices may not lead to success in the upcoming tournament.
• Predicted semi-finalists: Akmal predicted that India, New Zealand, England, and South Africa would be the teams most likely to qualify for the semi-finals. He expressed concern over the Pakistan team’s selection and said they could have made a stronger choice.
• PCB Chairman Criticized: Akmal also directed criticism at PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, stating that the chairman, due to his limited experience in cricket, might not fully understand the selection process, which led to an underwhelming team. Akmal did not see Pakistan advancing to the final of the Champions Trophy, adding that reaching the semi-finals would be a significant achievement.
• Pakistan’s Hosting of an ICC Event: This marks the first time since 1996 that Pakistan is hosting an ICC event. The Pakistan team, led by Mohammad Rizwan, is placed in Group A alongside India and will kick off their Champions Trophy campaign with a match against New Zealand in Karachi.

Akmal’s Final Thoughts:

While expressing disappointment with the team selection and leadership, Akmal acknowledged the tough competition from other nations and suggested that Pakistan’s chances are slim, especially in comparison to stronger, more balanced teams.

As the tournament approaches, fans and experts alike will be watching closely to see whether Akmal’s predictions hold true and how the Mohammad Rizwan-led squad fares on home soil.