Shoaib Malik goes silent after Mohammad Hafeez accuses him on live TV: 'Don't put him in a spot,' says Shoaib Akhtar

The Pakistan cricket team's indifferent performance in ICC tournaments is nothing new, and so is their former cricketers' bombardment of them with harsh criticism. Slugfest and passing the blame have been a regular affair in Pakistan cricket, especially when the team doesn't do well. All of them were on display after Pakistan's defeat to India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. In a must-win game against arch-rivals India, Pakistan were humbled by six wickets by an all-round Indian side which was fuelled by a masterful century by Virat Kohli in Dubai.

A day later, after New Zealand beat Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, Pakistan were officially knocked out of the Champions Trophy. Their last match against Bangladesh has now been reduced to a mere formality as India and New Zealand have already advanced to the semi-finals from Group A.

All hell broke loose on Pakistani television and YouTube channels, where several former cricketers launched scathing attacks on the Mohammad Rizwan-led side.

It was interesting to see that those entrusted by PCB to guide the team were also involved in TV shows and openly criticised the team's performance.

During a PTV live news broadcast, Shoaib Malik, a former Pakistan captain, was accused by Mohammad Hafeez, another former captain. Hafeez asked Malik, who is one of the five members appointed by PCB for the betterment of the side, whether he got any freedom to work with the team.

“Malik is among the five mentors working with the Pakistan team. How much responsibility and how much authority were you given?” Hafeez asked his former teammate.

Malik got a bit uncomfortable and even before he could come up with an answer, Hafeez said, “It's been six months, right? Six months!”

Seeing Malik in a spot of bother, Shoaib Akhtar, who was also a part of the discussion, requested Hafeez not to put Malik in a spot. “Don't put him in a spot,” Akhtar said.

Hafeez then went on to add. “I'm not asking him any difficult questions.”

‘Dil ke arman ansuon mein beh gaye’: Malik after India's loss to Pakistan

Earlier, Malik summed up the sentiments of the Pakistan cricket team fans by singing a famous Bollywood song during a panel discussion after Pakistan's defeat to India.

After Pakistan's meek submission against India, which came after a big loss by 60 runs to New Zealand in the Champions Trophy opener, former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar asked his former teammate and captain Shoaib Malik to narrate his feelings. Without going into any cricketing discussion, Malik sang "Dil ke arman ansuon mein beh gaye" from the 1982 Bollywood movie "Nikaah".

Akhtar posted the video of the same on his social media handles with the caption: "Today's state of affairs explained by Shoaib Malik."

Pakistan's Champions Trophy debacle

Like many former Pakistan cricketers, Malik and Akhtar have been very vocal in criticising the Mohammad Rizwan-led side's poor performance in the Champions Trophy. They lost to New Zealand and India to bow out of the Champions Trophy, the first ICC tournament they are hosting since the 1996 ODI World Cup, without putting much of a fight in.

The lack of intent in Pakistan's batting was evident in both matches. Chasing 321 against New Zealand, in the tournament opener, Pakistan registered the lowest-ever powerplay score in Champions Trophy history (22/2) which got them so far behind the game that they could never even threaten to chase down the target.

In the next match against India, captain Rizwana and Saud Shakeel put on a 100-run stand but it was the slowest in one Pakistan's recent ODI history. They put themselves in a situation where they had no option but top have a grand finish in order post a competitive total. In order to do that, they had to resort to high risk which didn't come off. And once both Rizwan and Shakeel were dismissed quickly, Pakistan's innings crumbled to 241.

In reply, Kohli smashed his 51st ODI century, became the fastest and only the third cricketer to cross 14000 runs in the format, to lead India to an easy win.

Akhtar, one of the fastest bowlers in the history of cricket, even called Babar Azam a "fraud".

Former skipper and coach Mohammad Hafeez called for the axing of all three pacers -- Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah.

Akram was also upset with the send-off that off-spinner Abrar Ahmed gave Shubman Gill after bowling him with a gem.

"There is a time for everything. Is there no one to tell him what are you doing? Look at the match situation, you are under the cosh and you are celebrating as if you have taken 5 wickets," Akram said.