In a recent video that has gone viral, former Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar expressed his dissatisfaction with the current state of cricket, labelling it as "fraudulent." Akhtar's critique primarily centres around the introduction of two new balls and the restriction of fielders outside the 30-yard circle in limited-overs cricket.
Akhtar emphasized the significant impact of these rule changes, stating, “Today’s cricket is fraud. Batters are scoring 30,000 runs with the introduction of two new balls. I respect Sachin Tendulkar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf and Jacques Kallis because they scored runs with soft balls in 50 overs. Only one ball was used. I am with anyone, who is scoring runs. However, they will come to know if six fielders are placed outside the 30-yard circle,” a former Pakistani cricketer said.
The former cricketer also directed criticism towards the International Cricket Council (ICC), accusing them of favouring batsmen and reducing bowlers to mere bowling machines. This sentiment finds resonance with former Indian player Gautam Gambhir, who recently condemned authorities for what he perceives as undue advantages given to batters. Gambhir's remarks come in light of several instances during the ICC World Cup 2023 where bowlers faced relentless attacks.
