Akhtar criticises Pakistan after Test defeat

Former Pakistan fast bowler, Shoaib Akhtar has said that the players in the present national team need to show more heart and courage if they are to bounce back against Sri Lanka in the ongoing series.
Akhtar was critical of the team's performance in the first test which Pakistan lost yesterday after being bowled out cheaply within a day at Galle.
"It was abject surrender and our players showed no heart, courage or a positive mindset. If they don't work on these things they can't bounce against Sri Lanka," he said.
The fast bowler said it was a fact that Pakistan presently lacked quality world class players.

"It is a fact and what is worrisome is we don't have much quality talent coming through from domestic cricket at the moment. In such circumstances the players need to put in a huge collective effort to do well and that was missing on Sunday against Sri Lanka," he said.
Pakistan lost the first Test in an exciting finish only the 11th time in Test history that a team has lost a match after posting 450 plus in their first innings.

Akhtar pointed out that at present Pakistan had no batsmen equal to the calibre of Kumar Sangakkara or Mahela Jayawardene with exception of Younis Khan.

"We don't even have a player of the calibre of Angelo Matthews who understands the game and plays according to the situation," he said.
"I have played a lot of cricket and I know at the end of the day technique does not matter that much as does how much heart and spirit a player shows on the field in pressure situations.
"Against Sri Lanka in the second innings our players just played without any purpose and tried to plod away. No one tried to attack the bowling and it was disappointing to watch such a performance," he said.