Pak cricket legends disappointed with series defeat against Australia

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Lahore, May. 4 (ANI): Pakistan cricket legends have expressed disappointment over team's 3-2 ODI series defeat Australia.

"Pakistan cricket has been reeling from problem after problem. Had the team won the series, it would have been a great boost to the game in the country. Sadly, we lost that chance," The News quoted former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram, as saying.

Akram lambasted Pakistan's decision to rest frontline pacer Umar Gul for the crucial fourth match. He also claimed that Younus Khan's elevation to the captaincy had blunted his batting.

"Younus made a couple of costly mistakes, he should have promoted Kamran Akmal to the top of the order because he has been batting well," said Wasim, adding the side needed to improve its running between the wickets.

Former Pakistan pacer Sarfraz Nawaz seconded Akram's opinion on in-form Gul's resting, which he said was "a crime".

"I think Pakistan must include new players who are young and energetic and get rid of players like Shoaib Akhtar who have fitness problems," he said.

Considering Pakistan's virtual ouster from world cricket after recent terror attack on the Lankan cricket team's bus in Lahore, the nation desperately needed a series win.

"It was very important to win an important series considering the situation in Pakistan, where we are having no cricket," Chief selector Abdul Qadir said.

Another former captain, Moin Khan, blamed Pakistan's defeat on poor batting.

"I fail to understand why we can't bat the full 50 overs, it shows that our batsmen struggled against Australia," Khan said. (ANI)