NZ v PAK 2020: "It was brainless batting"- Akhtar bashes Pakistan cricket team after 2nd T20I loss

The Pakistan cricket team lost their second consecutive T20I against New Zealand. Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar was disappointed with the visitors' batting in Hamilton.

Akhtar slammed Haider Ali and Abdullah Shafique for gifting their wickets to Tim Southee. In his view, the batsmen only needed to place the ball in the right areas to hit boundaries at Seddon Park.

"The batsmen were all over the place with the way they played their shots. It was brainless batting with complete disregard for how the pitch was behaving and what the bowlers were trying to do. You just needed to place the ball on that small ground, and it would easily have been a four," Akhtar said on PTV Sports after the Pakistan cricket team's loss.

Only Mohammed Hafeez could score more than 25 runs for the Pakistan cricket team. Hafeez remained unbeaten on 99* off 57 deliveries at the end of the innings.

Haider Ali opened the innings with Mohammed Rizwan. The rising star lost his wicket in the second over to Tim Southee.

Two balls later, Abdullah Shafique followed him to the pavilion. Akhtar was not impressed with the 'reckless' shots the two youngsters played.

"Even if someone has told you to play attacking cricket, it does not mean that you go out and play reckless shots. Look at Haider Ali; he smacked a six and tried to repeat his shot rather than placing the ball into gaps or play a different shot like down the ground or on the up. Abdullah Shafique was trying to play a pull shot with his head down," he continued.

Can the Pakistan cricket team avoid a whitewash?

The final T20I between the Pakistan cricket team and New Zealand will take place on Tuesday evening at McLean Park. The Kiwis won the first match by five wickets and defeated Pakistan by nine wickets in Hamilton today.

A win in the final T20I will extend their unbeaten streak at home after the COVID-19 break. The Pakistan cricket team will be keen to gain some momentum ahead of the Test series.