‘Enough is enough’ – Wasim Akram lashes out at ‘fake news’ on social media following Pakistan’s Asia Cup exit
Wasim Akram posted on social media today (September 19) advising fans not to trust what he called “fake news” circulating on social media, adding to a run of contentious tales surrounding Pakistan cricket recently.
Akram stated on X (Twitter) that people should stop believing everything they see on social media and that fake news breeds hostility. “People need to stop thinking that everything they see on social media is true,” he wrote. “It’s always easier to believe the bad than the good.”
“Fake news, in our part of the world, ignites unnecessary controversies, sparks hate and toughens the rift between us something that both countries do not need any more of. Enough is enough!”
A quote attributed to Akram has been doing the rounds lately where he has supposedly questioned the performance of Sri Lanka team in the 2023 Asia Cup final, indicating that there might have been some behind-the-scenes ‘arrangement’ that might have happened between India and Sri Lanka to make sure that India wins.
While Akram has not explicitly mentioned this, it might be possible that his post is in reference to this viral quote.
This is the latest controversy that has come out lately from Pakistan cricket. Yesterday (September 18), reports came out that Shadab Khan, Pakistan’s white-ball vice-captain, might lose his leadership position at the World Cup.
Live Cricket Scores reported that Shadab might lose out on his vice-captaincy, and might even lose out on his spot in the World Cup squad with leg spinner Abrar Ahmed being picked above him. Abrar, who has shone in his short Test career so far, is yet to make his ODI debut.
Abrar was not included to the Karachi Whites’ playing XI for their Round 2 match in Pakistan’s main first-class event, the Qaid-e-Azam Trophy. Some see it as a preventative step not to put him through a tough four-day workout before the World Cup.
Pakistan’s humiliating departure from the Asia Cup in 2023 has opened a can of worms. Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah, two of their top fast bowlers, are both injured. The latter may even be forced to miss the entire World Cup.
There were also rumors of infighting in the Pakistani dressing room following their tournament-ending loss to Sri Lanka. According to Bol News, captain Babar Azam and seamer Shaheen Afridi had an argument in the dressing room following the game.
Pakistan will open their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on October 6 in Hyderabad.
