Wasim criticises Wahab, umpires

LAHORE: Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram, who is commentating during the National T20 Cup, has criticised senior men’s team pacer Wahab Riaz over his front-foot landing in the danger area and also lashed at the Sindh team for their poor fielding.

Wahab, representing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, repeatedly landed near the danger area of the pitch during KP’s match against Balochistan. However, the umpires didn’t warn him.

Wasim was also critical of the stand-in umpires who were not engaging with Wahab on this.

“If this had happened in international cricket, Wahab would have received one warning till now,” Wasim said while commentating.

“When they play international cricket and receive one warning, they get under pressure. They tend to come wide of the crease and you can’t bowl according to your plans from wide of the crease,” he added.

He was also surprised because the stand-in umpires Ahsan Raza and Imtiaz Iqbal are the most experienced umpires of domestic cricket.

“We have to empower our local umpires according to the demands of international cricket,” Wasim maintained.

He said that Wahab was an experienced bowler and must rectify this problem.

Wasim also made an interesting comment on Sindh’s poor fielding. In the match against Central Punjab, the team led by Sarfraz Ahmed dropped two catches, many times the balls slipped from the hands of the fielders, two runs were made where only singles should have been conceded. Wasim said: “If I was their coach, I would tie baskets in their hands.”