'These guys need to see psychologists' - Wasim Akram on Bangladesh players following their loss to Pakistan

Former legendary Pakistan pacer has come with a hard and fast-lined criticism for the performance of Bangladesh in a must-win virtual quarter-final against Pakistan. The veteran of more than 500 ODI wickets came up with no mercy while assessing the approach of the Bangla batters after getting a good start against the men in green.

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Notably, Bangladesh was 73 for 2 wickets at a moment in the match when opener Najmul Hasan Shanto was comfortably batting with a good individual score. But unfortunately, they ended up scoring only 127 runs for the loss of eight wickets in the allotted 20 overs.

This intent from Bangladeshi batters didn’t go down well with the former Pakistan skipper and he went a mile ahead in his critique remarks for Shakib’s men.

"Bangladesh has to blame themselves. They should. If I was the captain of the Bangladesh team or the coach of the Bangladesh team, I will make sure these guys will see psychologists. Because at one stage, Shanto was on 54 and things were going well then," said Akram during a panel discussion on A Sports’ show ‘The Pavillion’

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If you had kept on taking singles, the score would have reached 155 comfortably - Wasim Akram on Shanto's dismissal

"They were 73 for 2 and I thought they'll get to 160. But then Shanto stepped out and played a weird shot off Iftikhar and was bowled. If you had kept on taking singles, the score would have reached 155 comfortably," the former legendary speedster added later.

While concluding his remarks, Wasim Akram went on to question the mindset of Bangladeshi batters while playing at the highest level of the game.

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"In an international level, when you see a certain bowler was coming to a bowl and you know that the opposition captain has brought him to take wickets, that's where you don't play a shot. You try to rotate the strike in that particular over but the Bangladesh players made up their minds to hit him and hit Shaheen only,” he added later.

Babar Azam & co. will now lock horns with Kane Williamson’s New Zealand on Wednesday followed by the second semi-final between India and England at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide.