Kamran Akmal Slams Pakistan’s “Shameful” T20I Loss, Urges Merit-Based Approach Like India

March 27, 2025: Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal has strongly criticized Pakistan’s performance in the recently concluded T20I series against New Zealand, calling their defeat “shameful.” Pakistan lost the five-match series 4-1, with the final match ending in an eight-wicket defeat. Akmal, who was outspoken in his assessment of the team’s performance, stated that Pakistan looked like a “local team” and highlighted the urgent need for a shift in selection policies.

Akmal took to his YouTube channel to express his frustration, emphasizing that Pakistan’s team selection was based on favouritism rather than merit. He urged the management to adopt a merit-based approach like India’s, pointing to the success of the Indian team as a result of selecting players based on their performances rather than their connections. According to Akmal, this practice has led to consistent dominance for India, particularly in tournaments like the T20 World Cup.

“Our team looked like a local team. It was a shameful performance. Our performance is zero, and nobody has realized it. Look at the ongoing IPL. If you play the youngsters playing there against this Pakistan team, they will win the series. India wins all the matches because they make the team on merit, not like us. In Pakistan, teams are made based on favourites,” Kamran Akmal stated.

Despite the harsh criticism, Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha acknowledged the team’s poor performance but tried to take some positives from the series. Reflecting on the loss, Agha admitted that the New Zealand team had outplayed them throughout the series but pointed to individual performances that could serve as learning experiences for the team.

“They were outstanding. They outplayed us in the whole series. There were plenty of positives, though. The way Hasan batted and Haris batted in Auckland. The way Sufiyan bowled today. When we were coming in here, the focus was on the Asia Cup and the World Cup. I did alright. It doesn’t matter when you lose the series,” Agha said in the post-match presentation.

The Pakistan team now shifts focus to the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand, which is set to begin on Saturday at McLean Park. The team will be hoping to bounce back from the disappointment of the T20I series and perform better in the 50-over format.