Following Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan, former Pakistan cricket legend Wasim Akram has expressed strong criticism towards England players. They left their IPL franchises during the playoffs to participate in the four-match T20I series against Pakistan. Wasim Akram aired his concerns during a discussion on Sportskeeda, emphasizing the impact on teams when key players depart at crucial moments.
Irfan Pathan’s Call for Consistency
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Irfan Pathan had previously taken to his social media platform, X, to express his discontent with players leaving midway through the tournament.
“Either be available for a full season or don’t come!” Pathan wrote, reflecting a sentiment shared by many fans and stakeholders in the league.
“If you cut salaries, will it affect anything if your team doesn’t win after reaching the playoffs? You’ve put in all the hard work and in the last hurdle, your boys leave because they have to play for the country. It’s not fair,” Wasim Akram lamented. “This is what you pay for. That’s why it’s frustrating not just for fans but owners, and captains of the teams for any league. So, I agree with Irfan [Pathan], come for the entire tournament otherwise don’t come,” he added.
Also read: Shah Rukh Khan Reflects on Kolkata Knight Riders’s Amazing Journey to IPL 2024 Final
Gavaskar’s Stance on Franchise Commitments
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Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar also weighed in on the issue through his Mid-Day column. Gavaskar acknowledged the importance of national duty but stressed the need for players to honor their commitments to the franchises.
“I am all for players choosing country before anything else, but having assured various franchises about their availability for the full season. If they pull out now, it will be letting down the franchises,” Gavaskar wrote. He proposed financial repercussions for such actions.
“The franchises should not only be allowed to deduct a substantial amount from the fee that the player was bought for but also not give the Board, to which the player belongs, the stated 10 percent commission of the fee that each player gets.”
Also read: Pakistan’s Defeat: Shoaib Malik’s Harsh Criticism On Team Management
Michael Vaughan’s Change of Heart
Initially, former England captain Michael Vaughan supported the players’ decision to prioritize national duty. However, after England secured a 23-run victory against Pakistan in the second T20I, Vaughan reconsidered his stance.
“I think you’re going to miss the trick by sending all their players home. You know, I think Will Jacks , Phil Salt, Josh Butler, in particular, playing in the IPL in the eliminators, pressure, crowd, expectation,” Vaughan commented on the ‘Club Prairie Fire’ podcast. “I would argue that playing here is better preparation than playing a T20 game against Pakistan,” he added.
Also read: Babar Azam Surpasses Rohit Sharma to Become Second Leading Run-Scorer in T20Is
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