After South Africa’s defeat by the Netherlands in the T20 World Cup Super 12s, Pakistan’s cricket team was given a tremendous lifeline in their ambitions of reaching the semifinals. As a result, Pakistan was able to defeat Bangladesh and enter new doors. In a video taken inside the Pakistani team’s locker room, Babar Azam is heard urging his teammates to carry on as they have throughout the tournament as they advance to the semi-finals. Wasim Akram, however, is not satisfied with the video at all.
In a conversation on A-Sports, Akram stated that his colleague’s panelists, including Waqar Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq, and Shoaib Malik, agreed that such films shouldn’t be taken. Wasim even vowed to “get hold of the individual recording the video” and request that he refrain from filming inside the changing area. “If I was Babar, I would get hold of that guy who is making a video. Sometimes, certain things are personal. I am all for social media, players interacting with their fans and everything. But I have not seen any other team do it in this World Cup? So yeah, the urge to get extra numbers (followers, likes), cut it down. This is too much,” Akram said on the Pakistani channel.
Skipper @babarazam258 speaks to his team after Pakistan qualify for the #T20WorldCup semifinals #WeHaveWeWill pic.twitter.com/CkmpJCj6o3
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 6, 2022
Additionally, Akram stated that while he is all for social media and cricket-related content being posted online for fans, there are some private issues that are discussed in the changing room that aren’t intended to be recorded and made public.
“There are recordings taking place all the time. Imagine if I am sitting and not knowing that someone is recording – a message that I want to give my team. Just tell him, ‘Guys, relax for two days. Do it some other place but not the dressing room,” he further said. Pakistan has qualified for the T20 World Cup 2022 semifinals thanks to its victory over Bangladesh. On Wednesday, they will face New Zealand in the first semifinal.