Daily Times

Two former Pakistan cricketers, Aamir Sohail and Ijaz Ahmed, have blamed Wasim Akram for Pakistan’s defeat in the 1999 World Cup final. They claimed that his leadership decisions played a major role in the loss against Australia. Aamir Sohail also suggested that Pakistan could have won the 1996, 1999, and 2003 World Cups with better decision-making.

Ijaz Ahmed criticized Akram’s choice to bat first in the final, despite heavy rain the night before. He revealed that he had advised against this decision, but no team meeting was called to discuss it. He argued that even a street cricketer would have avoided such a mistake. The former players believe that Akram’s leadership held Pakistan back from winning another World Cup after 1992.

During a discussion on Pakistan’s cricket history, Mohammad Hafeez pointed out that while the ’90s team had many star players, they never won an ICC event. He recalled that Pakistan’s 1996 campaign was disappointing, and the 1999 loss deeply impacted the nation. Rashid Latif also criticized the involvement of ’90s players in the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) management, suggesting they should stay away from decision-making.

Wasim Akram, known as the “Sultan of Swing,” responded to these accusations, saying he has always been caught in controversies. He received the Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 2019, an honor that Aamir Sohail sarcastically linked to Pakistan’s inability to win another World Cup. The debate over Pakistan’s past failures continues, keeping Akram’s legacy under scrutiny.