Islamabad
Former pacer Shoaib Akhtar fears that international cricket would be reduced to just a couple of World Cups and the T20 leagues if the International Cricket Council (ICC) does not take any drastic steps now.
“I can tell you one thing, if you don’t go with justice for the next two years, there will be only two World Cups and ten leagues happening. If the ICC wants to go that route, then please do that so. It is your wish, we can only talk about cricket being destroyed but can’t do anything,” he said in a YouTube interview.
According to Shoaib, the rules of the game had been changed to benefit the batsmen. “You’ve to give permission for bodyline bowling. You’ve have tied the hands of the fast bowlers. What type of cricket are you organising, two new balls with a restriction on bouncers, what do you want that the bowlers should go there just to be hit?” he asked.
He said that there were hardly any fast bowlers left in the game. “There are only three fast bowlers left in the world, including Cummins who is sometimes unfit and another Jofra Archer who was bowling at 150 kph but now bowling at 132 kph.” He said that cricket had undergone a steady decline from the glory days of the past. “Till the time you don’t go with justice, cricket will keep going down. If you want someone to score 20000 odd runs, it is your wish. It doesn’t affect me. If you don’t make cricket better, it does not impact my era.”
“The fans of our era are still our fans. The way we played cricket will always be remembered.—APP
