Shoaib Akhtar defends Pakistan Cricket Board amid ongoing team overhaul

Former pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar is defending the Pakistan Cricket Board during a period of team instability and poor performance. Following England’s victory in the first two Test matches at Headingley and Lord's, the board removed seven players and replaced head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul. Shoaib Akhtar stated that officials view the current squad as depleted and are prioritizing a long-term transition focused on younger talent. He emphasized that the board considers the program to be in a two-year recovery phase. While supporting the structural changes, Shoaib Akhtar specifically urged the board to preserve the careers of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf. He also noted that infrastructure development is currently underway at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore for the first time in over two decades.

• 12:18 PMYahoo Sports — 'Working in the right way': Shoaib Akhtar backs PCB amid criticism as Pakistan cricket's downfall continues