Wasim Akram criticises public reception of Razaullah Mashwani after Pakistan's Test series loss

Pakistan suffered a 3-0 Test series whitewash in England, ending the tour with an eight-wicket defeat in the final match at Edgbaston. The team struggled with familiar batting collapses throughout the series and fell behind by 320 runs in the first innings of the final Test. Twenty-one-year-old debutant Razaullah Mashwani provided a brief bright spot during the match by bowling with genuine pace and scoring 81 runs from 63 balls in the second innings. He shared a 121-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Mohammad Abbas to help overcome the large first-innings deficit. Despite the loss, Razaullah returned home to large crowds in Islamabad, with thousands of people and his entire village welcoming him with garlands and bouquets. Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram strongly criticised the scale of the celebrations during a charity event in Manchester, appearing alongside Waqar Younis. Akram stated that players should hide their faces and celebrate at home after a comprehensive defeat rather than welcoming a player with thousands of people. He argued that the reception reflected a broader acceptance of mediocrity in Pakistan cricket, noting that changing coaches or chairmen will not fix core issues when the player pool remains the same. Akram clarified that his criticism was not aimed at Razaullah's personal performance, acknowledging the youngster's raw talent and promising debut. Instead, he objected to celebrating individual moments while ignoring the team's heavy defeat. Razaullah had joined the squad mid-series with little international experience after being flown to England during a team overhaul. Former captain Babar Azam admitted he knew little about the debutant beforehand, other than hearing about a first-class century he scored as an opener. England captain Joe Root was also unfamiliar with the newcomer before his aggressive innings disrupted the hosts' bowling plans.