Shoaib Akhtar fears Wahab, Hasan next to quit Tests after Amir

Former Pakistani fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar questioned the retirement of paceman Mohammad Amir from Test cricket, speculating if Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan and Hasan Ali will also follow suit behind him. 

Mohammad Amir officially announced his retirement from Test cricket at a young age of just 27, in order to focus on "White ball cricket" in a video posted on his twitter handle. 

In a video posted on his Youtube page, the 'Rawalpindi Express', Akhtar analysed the consequences of Amir's decision to retire so early. 

"What I find as troubling news is that perhaps Hasan Ali, Wahab Riaz, and Junaid Khan will follow suit and take retirement. I don't understand what is happening to the Pakistan team?" questioned Akhtar.

"How can 27-year-old Mohammad Amir retire? When Pakistan has invested so much on him, when they got him out of match-fixing (scandal) and brought him back (to the national team), now that he has returned to form, he is taking retirement now? This is beyond my comprehension!" he said.

Akhtar claimed the young breed of Pakistani fast-bowlers – Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Amir – only want to play Twenty20 cricket, and don't have a lot of interest in One Day Internationals either."

"I’m thoroughly disappointed today that, when my peak came at 27, you have retired. I am really, really disappointed. This was the time for payback. When Pakistan is almost dead in Test cricket, you had to put in the effort. You had to deliver for the country and help them win series," said the former cricketer, who was one of the most feared fast-bowlers of his time.

Akhtar reiterated multiple times how disappointed he felt by Amir's decision. He said it wasn't just Mohammad Amir's retirement that troubled him, but he saw three to four other fast-bowlers also leaving the longer format of the game.

"Who will play Test matches then?" he asked.

Akhtar stated that "these boys are lucky", and that if somebody like him (Shoaib Akhtar) was part of the cricket board, he wouldn't even let them play T20s for Pakistan.

"Because Pakistan has to come first. They have to play for Pakistan. There are times when you should make money…I'm all for making money, but this is the time when Pakistan needs you," he said.

Akhtar requested the Pakistan Cricket Board to look into the matter see which direction Pakistan cricket was headed in.

The 'Rawalpindi Express' host said it was time for Prime Minister Imran Khan to look into the matters of Pakistan cricket and bring in dynamic people rather than "60-year-old granddads".

"If you do not bring in dynamic and honest people, then you would continue facing such problems."