In the recent ICC Champions Trophy match between New Zealand and Bangladesh, former Pakistani cricket legend Wasim Akram criticized Bangladesh’s veteran cricketer Mahmudullah for his underwhelming performance. Bangladesh suffered a five-wicket loss in the game.
Mahmudullah struggled during the match, scoring only four runs off 14 balls before being dismissed by Michael Bracewell. His dismissal came after an attempted big shot landed in the hands of Will O’Rourke. Adding to his woes, Mahmudullah also missed an easy catch of Rachin Ravindra at mid-on when Ravindra was on 105 runs. Although Mahmudullah managed to execute a run out of Tom Latham later, the damage was already done.
Reflecting on Bangladesh’s fielding efforts, Akram remarked, “Would you call them unlucky?” He then directed his critique at Mahmudullah, stating, “That was a sitter! Mahmudullah looks like he has come here on vacation. Na batting ho rahi, na bowling (He’s unable to bat or bowl).”
Akram pointed out the importance of nurturing young talent in Bangladesh cricket. “This is a learning curve for Bangladesh cricket. They’ve brought in veterans like Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim who are 39 and 37 years old. Prepare young players for white-ball cricket and let these veterans play red-ball if they want to. White-ball cricket is about fearlessness. This is what Bangladesh needs to think about, preparing a team for next year’s T20 World Cup,” he emphasized.
Despite his criticism of Mahmudullah, Akram praised the performance of youngster Nahid Rana, who secured the wicket of Kane Williamson in the fourth over with an impressive delivery. “I saw Rana bowling for the first time. Look at the ball he bowled to Williamson… the pace, the carry, the swing of the delivery. Zabardast! I like the celebration too. Hardly any. Sometimes youngsters go overboard with their celebrations,” Akram commented.
Bangladesh’s defeat has put them under pressure, and Akram’s remarks highlight the need for introspection and strategic planning for future matches and tournaments.
