Waqar asks selectors to share blame

LAHORE: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has called for the selection committee to share the blame for the team’s poor performance given that the coach and captain have not been consulted prior to the team selection.

Pakistan lost the Test, One-Day International (ODI) and the Twenty20 series against England following which the National Assembly Standing Committee on Sport called the coach, selection committee chairman and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman to explain the dismal performance.

“The selection committee has refused to consult the captain and the coach in the past and if they don’t, then the selectors should share the blame as well,” said Waqar before the Committee.

Chief selector Mohsin Khan, however, defended himself by reminding the Committee that he had no powers to announce the squad without the PCB chairman’s permission but added that he wanted to take all stakeholders into confidence before making a decision.

“The captain for the South Africa series was not announced before the naming of the squad and the coach was abroad so the chairman ordered me to finalise the squad,” said Khan.

‘Majeeds involved for ten years’

Former manager Yawar Saeed said that the Majeed brothers – Mazhar and Azhar – had been in contact with the players for 10 years.

“A manager could not interfere with a player’s personal life so we observed them during the match and in the hotel but not during their private activities,” said Saeed before adding that he will submit his report on the England tour by next week.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2010.