उन्होंने कहा, "इनमें से 70% खिलाड़ी पाकिस्तान के लिए खेलने के लायक नहीं हैं,"
टी20 विश्व कप 2022 के लिए पाकिस्तान की टीम के बारे में चर्चा करते हुए आकिब ने कहा
“No learning, udhar ke udhar hi khade hain (they have stagnated). Players like Khushdil Shah and Asif Ali can play small roles in the UAE, but when you play in Australia, the grounds are bigger, and the pitches will also offer bounce.
“There [in Australia], you will need technique because one-dimensional players who only play across the line are not successful.
They [selection committee} have made mistakes. You don’t know which player to choose in different situations, and there are limited options."