File image of Babar Azam and Virat Kohli© AFP
Several top teams have adopted the policy of multiple teams, under different captains, across formats. While England and Australia were the first teams to adopt the policy, India, over the past year or so, have fielded a number of different combinations, with different captains across formats. While several current and former cricketers have lauded India for setting up a big pool of players, some have also criticised them for too much chopping and changing. On being asked if Pakistan can also field multiple teams like India, veteran wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal had a rather blunt remark on the same.
“Pehle aap ek toh poori kar lein (Firstly, you need to complete your first team),” Akmal told Paktv.tv.
The 41-year-old, who last played for Pakistan in 2017, said that the scrapping of department cricket has had a negative impact on the national side.
“You could’ve made 2-3 teams before 2018-19. Your domestic cricket was there. Department cricket was so rich in Pakistan. I know this because I’ve played there for years. Since we topped it, making even one team is difficult. If having six teams was so beneficial, Fawad Alam wouldn’t have made a comeback after so many years,” he added.
Under the leadership of all-format captain Babar Azam, Pakistan reached the finals of the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup last year, but failed to lift the trophies on both occasions.
Pakistan also failed to win a single Test match (P8, W0, L4, D4) at home last season, and conceded a 0-3 whitewash against England.
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