ICC World Cup 2019 | Pakistan have got themselves out of the tournament, says Shoaib Akhtar

For Pakistan to qualify, they will have to win their last group stage encounter against Bangladesh by a margin of over 300 runs with a lot of permutations and combinations to offer. A win would mean they end up with 11 points alongside New Zealand but the superior net run rate of the Kiwis will help them qualify ahead of Pakistan. Akhtar feels that Pakistan have only themselves to blame for their heart-breaking campaign in the World Cup. 

“The match against West Indies cost us badly. Then their match against Sri Lanka got abandoned. After that, they lost the game to Australia which they should have won. These three matches made it very difficult for Pakistan. They themselves have got out of the tournament. Nobody else is responsible for their loss,” Akhtar said on his YouTube channel. 

Akhtar wants Pakistan to play for their pride against Bangladesh and end up on the winning note at Lord’s on Friday.

“All is not lost still. We have to play for our pride against Bangladesh. Pakistan have to make sure they don’t get humiliated and therefore they should play good cricket against Bangladesh,” he added.

Akhtar further emphasised on the quality of cricket being played in the World Cup, where the balance is heavily tilted in the favour of batsmen.  

“I am not happy with the quality of cricket being played in this World Cup. The quality of cricket has gone down immensely. It has become very easy to score runs. The bowlers don’t have the quality, the pace and the spin, which bowlers in 1990s and early 2000s used to have. There are three powerplays and two new balls which have made it very easy to score runs,” he added.