Former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik has shared valuable insights with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) following the team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup semifinals. Malik shares the need for a broader pool of players in every cricket format, drawing inspiration from India’s approach to the game.

“In the World Cup, India covered all aspects—not just bowling, batting, and fielding. They faced injuries but had a backup plan. Looking ahead, it’s crucial to have a pool of players in every format. Players should receive equal chances so that they’re prepared when opportunities arise. While we go through rebuilding, we often don’t stick to our decisions and lack consistency in implementation,” Malik said on A Sports.

Misbah-ul-Haq, Malik’s former teammate and co-panelist, identified another problem—the team’s resistance to constructive criticism when performing well.

“After winning every series and delivering strong performances, we are not receptive to suggestions for improvement. This applies not just to players but the entire system,” Misbah said.

“We should identify areas for improvement, even when winning. Facing strong teams in top tournaments gives us a clearer picture. Those who bring up these issues often encounter resistance from the entire system,” he added.

Misbah also expressed concern about Pakistan’s spinners, whose vulnerabilities were exposed once the pacers struggled.

“When our pacers were doing well, they masked the weaknesses of our spinners. As a team management, it is essential to address areas that need improvement, particularly in high-pressure situations against top teams. Then again, NRR concerns will arise,” he said.

Wasim Akram and Moin Khan added their perspectives.

“There was a lack of planning and poor fitness, “Moin Khan said.

“There is no quick fix. The issue is that we’ll forget about it the moment the World Cup is over,” Wasim Akram added.

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In the ongoing ODI World Cup, former Pakistan captains Wasim Akram and Shoaib Malik expressed their belief that Afghanistan has displayed superior cricket compared to Pakistan. Shoaib Malik, acknowledging Afghanistan’s impressive performance, stated that Afghanistan played better cricket than Pakistan.

“Afghanistan played better cricket. I believe that considering this World Cup alone, Afghanistan has played better cricket than us, “Shoaib Malik said A sports.

Wasim Akram concurs with Malik’s assessment, noting that the Afghan team appeared stronger. Akram suggests that the Pakistani players may have been fatigued due to continuous cricket.

“Afghans looked stronger. Maybe, our boys looked fatigued because they were playing cricket continuously. Afghanistan cricketers looked better than Pakistan, there is no doubt,” he said.

Looking ahead, Pakistan is set to play their last league match against England at Eden Gardens. To qualify for the semi-finals, the scenario for Babar Azam and his team is challenging.

If Pakistan bats first and scores 300, they must bowl England out for 13. Alternatively, if Pakistan bowls first and dismisses England for 50, they need to chase the target in around 2.3 overs. The upcoming match holds significant implications for Pakistan’s journey in the Cricket World Cup.

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Shoaib Malik has played T20 cricket worldwide. He has been a part of all the big T20 leagues in England, India, Australia and West Indies.

In his recent conversation with Wasim Akram, Misbah-ul-Haq, Moin Khan and the show presenter on ASports, the veteran spoke about the Big Bash League in Australia.

“Big Bash League is the best T20 tournament in the world in terms of cricketing activities. The competition is at a different level and you can learn a lot by playing in the league. Their training sessions and fitness parameters are top notch. Australia is a tough nation and even the normal individuals workout like real athletes,” he said.

Wasim Akram pinpointed the long schedule of the Big Bash League. “Their long schedule is a concern. It is played for a long duration of time and I believe Cricket Australia is working on reducing the number of matches,” he said.

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Former Pakistan players Misbah-ul-Haq and Shoaib Malik picked their two finalists in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023. India, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand are through to the knock-outs.

Pakistan need a miracle against England to surpass New Zealand’s net run-rate However, it is almost impossible and this is what Pakistani greats think.

None of them took their team’s name. Misbah and Shoaib was asked to name their finalists on ASports.

“India and Australia will clash in the final,” Shoaib Malik said.

“India and South Africa will be my two finalists,” Misbah said.

Misbah further lauded the Men in Blue.

“All four teams are strong and can beat each other on their day. However, I think India are a much better side than the remaining three. Their balance is better,” he said.

India will take on New Zealand in the first semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium on November 15. In the second knock-out, South Africa will try their luck against Australia at the Eden Gardens on November 16.

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Wasim Akram took a swipe at the former and current Pakistan players for their controversial statements on the use of the DRS at the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 in India.

Hasan Raza accused the International Cricket Council of manipulating the technology in favour of the Indian team. On the other hand, some of the players have been highlighting the odd decisions to make the host nation look bad.

Wasim, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik and Moin Khan were asked about the doubtful calls in the tournament, to which they came up with their opinions.

“The system is not hundred percent full proof. The bad decisions have been made but it for both the sides. The ICC and other cricket boards have agreed to use the technology. The controversies which are being created is being done by our own brothers,” Wasim Akram said.

“It has reduced the percentage of the human error. It was introduced to eradicate the blunders comitted by the on-field umpires and the percentage of such calls have come down,” Misbah-ul-Haq said.

However, Shoaib differed from Akram and Misbah.

“It is there to put the blame of human error on the technology. Noor Ahmed and Ravindra Jadeja’s decisions are the perfect example and I can explain if you show those two calls. The system is not accurate,” he said.

“I believe the umpire’s call should be removed from the DRS,” Moin Khan said.

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Team India are looking unstoppable in the ICC World Cup 2023. They have crushed the rival teams in one-sided games so far. South Africa were their strongest challenge, but even they couldn’t handle the brutal assault.

Chasing 327 to win at the Eden Gardens, they were bundled out for 83 runs. None of the batters managed to even touch 20 runs. Ravindra Jadeja took 5 wickets, while Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav added two scalps each, respectively.

Former Pakistan players Misbah-ul-Haq, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Malik and Moin Khan were asked about the tips to stop Team India.

“They are playing good cricket. It hasn’t happened just in this World Cup. They prepared for it for more than a year and are getting rewards,” Wasim Akram said.

“Other teams will have to improve their mentality while facing India. Indian team has impacted them mentality and they lose fifty percent of the game even before the contest. Take out the fear and then face them. If the Men in Blue are put under pressure, they will struggle. Their main test will be in the semi-finals,” said Misbah-ul-Haq.

“I think Australia can challenge them. Australia are a tough team,” said Shoaib Malik.

Misbah repeated the pressure remark, to which Malik said: “India are the best when it is about coming out of pressure.”

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In the world of cricket, Virat Kohli stands out as one of the most complete batters. However, even the mention of a potential weakness in his game can trigger a powerful reaction from his passionate fan base.

Recently, a leading Hindi daily faced the consequences of publishing a controversial article about Kohli, highlighting the intense emotions surrounding discussions about the Indian cricket superstar.

Former Pakistan captain, Shoaib Malik, found himself in the midst of this storm when he discussed Kohli’s performance against spin during a panel discussion on the show ‘The Pavilion’ on A Sports. Alongside cricket legends Wasim Akram and Misbah-ul-Haq, Malik delved into the reasons behind Kohli’s occasional struggles against spinners.

Little did Malik anticipate the fierce backlash that awaited him. Kohli’s legion of fans unleashed a wave of trolling and criticism, making it clear that any perceived critique of their idol would not be taken lightly. The intensity of the reaction was evident when, during a post-match show, a question humorously thanked Malik for “teaching Virat Kohli how to bat” and suggested he should also teach acting to Amitabh Bachchan. Malik, initially laughing off the comment, eventually addressed the episode.

“In cricket, every batter, no matter how successful, has a weakness. I want to clarify that my point was simple. When a batter’s feet move across, they encounter difficulties against spin. There are numerous examples of great players facing similar challenges, and you can inquire with anyone for confirmation,” Malik said.

He defended his comments by explaining that he never claimed Kohli doesn’t know how to play.

“When a batter’s feet move across while facing a spinner, it becomes challenging when the ball comes in. I want to clarify that I never claimed he doesn’t know how to play. I just mentioned that he might feel a bit uncomfortable. That’s it. If you had watched the entire show, you would have noticed that I always praise him. He is undoubtedly one of the greats,” Malik concluded.

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Veteran Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik recently shared a heartwarming story about Indian cricket legend Rahul Dravid. Malik recounted an incident during a flight when Dravid patiently waited for two hours for him to wake up. He was eager to discuss the secrets behind Malik’s numerous comebacks.

In an interview to a Pakistani sports channel, Malik spoke about Dravid’s unselfish approach as a coach. He attributed India’s success in the 2023 World Cup to his influence. Currently leading the points table with an undefeated record of six wins, India stands out as a formidable force in the competition.

“We were on a flight from Pakistan to New Zealand, and coincidentally, the Indian under-19 team was on the same flight. Rahul Dravid, who was the coach at that time, patiently waited for two hours while I was sleeping. He wanted to talk to me and asked, ‘You’ve made numerous comebacks, what motivates you?’ He mentioned, ‘I coach the under-19 team, and I want to share the psyche behind it with them,'” Malik said.

“What I’m saying is, he doesn’t have an ego. He genuinely wanted to understand the challenges of making a comeback. In his own career, he’s experienced many highs and lows. So, he approached me, and I appreciated that. Learning is a continuous process, and it’s evident in the current success of the Indian team under Rahul Dravid,” he added

With Dravid’s coaching philosophy focused on humility, learning, and understanding the mental aspects of the game, the Indian cricket team continues to thrive under his guidance.

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Recent rumors of a potential divorce between tennis ace Sania Mirza and Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik have been circulating on social media for the past few years. Despite the speculations, the couple, married in 2010, made a public appearance together in Dubai to celebrate their son Izhaan’s fifth birthday.

Shoaib Malik shared a heartwarming picture on Instagram, capturing the family moment with his son and Sania Mirza. The birthday celebration also included the presence of Sania’s father, Imran Mirza, and her sister, Anam.

Addressing the ongoing rumors, Shoaib Malik had previously spoken to GeoNews.

“We don’t have much time to be together. When Sania and Izhaan went to Umrah, I had commitments here. Even when I took a break and went to Dubai to spend time with Izhaan, she was busy. We belong to different countries and have our own commitments. Neither of us released a statement,” he said.

As of now, neither Sania Mirza nor Shoaib Malik has officially confirmed or denied the divorce speculations.

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The Pakistan cricket team, led by Babar Azam, has faced a challenging phase in the World Cup 2023, suffering three consecutive losses after a promising start. Former cricketers, including Wasim Akram, Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul-Haq, and others, have not held back in expressing their disappointment and, to some extent, anger.

In the face of external criticism, Pakistani all-rounder, Shadab Khan acknowledged the tough situation but emphasized that it’s easy to criticize from the outside when a team is not winning.

“I don’t think the fight is missing. Everyone has their opinion, and they can talk about it. As a team, we have unity, and we play with that spirit. We’ve bounced back before, and hopefully, we’ll do it again. People can talk because we’re not performing, and we accept that. It’s a reality in sports. Our main focus is to win games for Pakistan, that’s it,” he said.

Addressing the constant scrutiny and criticism, Shadab provided a simple solution, to ignore it.

“Yeah, it’s easy if you don’t listen to them. I always talk to the players. In this tournament, you have to cut off from social media. When you perform well, everyone praises you, but when you don’t, the same person criticizes you, saying you’re not good enough. The mentality is that when someone is not in the team, they are the best, when someone is in the team, they are the worst. It’s like that,” he said.

“If you are winning, everything gets covered up. And if you are losing, it doesn’t matter how good you are or how well your team played before. So, the main concern is, if you are winning, everything will be fine,” he added.

Acknowledging his own recent performance struggles, Shadab Khan accepted the criticism.

“The criticism is valid because I haven’t been performing well recently. It’s true. I’m not doing well in this big tournament, but it’s not like I’m always at the same level. Ups and downs are part of cricket,” he concluded.

As Pakistan faces a crucial match against South Africa, Shadab Khan remains hopeful that the team will bounce back and silence the critics through their performance on the field.

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