'People attacked me on social media for criticizing Mohammad Rizwan's approach', says Wasim Akram after Pakistan's Asia Cup final defeat

Wasim Akram, Mohammad Rizwan (Image Source: Twitter)

Mohammad Rizwan  was the only Pakistani batter who scored a fifty in the final of the Asia Cup 2022 against Sri Lanka. However, his 55 runs came in 49 balls and his slow inning put pressure on the other batters to score runs at a much faster pace. In the end, Babar Azam and Co. fell 23 runs short of the target.

Wasim Akram, the former Pakistan skipper slammed the batter for his approach on air while commentating. The 56-year-old further also mentioned that people slammed him for criticizing Rizwan when he played a similar knock earlier in the tournament.

“He (Rizwan) had done the same thing against Hong Kong if you remember. I criticised him, which was healthy criticism. And people attacked me on social media. Pakistan people said that I don't support Rizwan. If you want my opinion, I will give you the right and straightforward opinion,” Akram said while commentating on Star Sports.

“I am not the guy who will lie about what I see. Black is black and white is white for me,” he added further. Mohammad Rizwan's innings raised a lot of questions and fans speculated that he was only playing for himself and not for the team.

'Asif played with four stitches in his hand': Saqlain Mushtaq

The head coach of Pakistan Saqlain Mushtaq took on the critics and highlighted the team's unity. He put on a point saying that it was easy to comment from outside and added that one needs to work with the team to understand what's really happening.

"Easy to comment from the outside, one gets to know only when they are part of the team. I have worked as an expert for three years. So, I know how things worked. Once they work closely with the cricketers from inside only then they will get to know about the team bonding, the environment," Mushtaq said after the match.

He further highlighted the grit of Asif Ali and lauded the cricketer for the same. Mushtaq said that the players put on great effort despite losing the match.

"Asif played with four stitches in his hand. Shadab’s ear was bleeding, he was concussed after the collision and despite all of this he went to bat," he concluded.