Is Pakistan’s Cricket Crumbling Like Hockey?

New Delhi, Sep 15 (ANS) Pakistan was unable to compete against a significantly stronger India during the Group A clash of the T20 Asia Cup held in Dubai on Sunday.

The world champions showcased their dominance with a seven-wicket victory, leaving Pakistan's former wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal expressing his disappointment and drawing parallels with the decline of the nation’s hockey.

“Pakistan cricket is treading the same path as hockey. This is happening with extensive planning. Cricket is being systematically undermined,” Akmal told www.telecomasia.net.

Pakistan managed a mere 127/9 after opting to bat first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Without opener Sahibzada Farhan's 40 runs off 44 balls and an unbeaten 33 off 16 from Shaheen Shah Afridi, the team would have struggled to exceed the hundred-run mark.

Missing key players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan was completely outplayed by the Indian spinners, with Kuldeep Yadav leading the attack by taking 3 wickets for just 18 runs. Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy contributed with figures of 2/18 and 1/24, respectively.

India swiftly reached the target in just 15.5 overs. Abhishek Sharma began aggressively, scoring 31 runs off 13 balls, including 4 fours and 2 sixes. Opening partner Shubman Gill managed 10 runs before being dismissed by Saim Ayub (3 wickets for 35 runs), who claimed all three Indian wickets to fall.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav was the standout performer, finishing with 47 not out off 37 balls, forming a 56-run partnership for the third wicket with Tilak Verma, who scored 31 runs off 31 balls. Shivam Dube also remained not out on 10.

It was evident that Pakistan lacked the skills to challenge India across all departments.

“The root cause of Pakistan’s decline is the compromise on domestic cricket. Selection has shifted from performance-based to personal preferences,” Akmal explained. “The game is not being managed for the betterment of the team but for settling personal grudges… This is why we are unable to produce the caliber of players we once did.”

Drawing a stark parallel with the hockey team's failures to qualify for the Olympics and World Cups since 2010, Akmal noted that while cricket barely survives thanks to corporate sponsorship, its future appears bleak. “Hockey is government-funded, while cricket relies on corporate backing; that is what keeps it afloat. However, I believe it has very little time left,” a concerned Akmal remarked.

Pakistan started the tournament with a convincing 93-run victory over Oman and are expected to defeat UAE in their final group match, allowing them to advance to the 'Super Four' stage. Nonetheless, their unimpressive performance against India casts doubt on their confidence moving forward in the tournament.

Despite the situation, Akmal offered a sarcastic take, stating, “If the team fails to perform in the Asia Cup, it could lead to significant issues. However, if we haven’t played well in the last ten tournaments, one more poor performance hardly matters.”

Meanwhile, India secured their place in the 'Super Fours' with their second consecutive win, having previously defeated UAE by nine wickets in their opening match of the tournament.