Mohammad Hafeez and company will be under the microscope on their return from a catastrophic World Twenty20 show in Bangladesh. PHOTO: AFP
Let us start from the pre-tournament phase, when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman’s seat remained a musical chair between Najam Sethi and Zaka Ashraf, with volleys being traded between Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif and the courts of the country.
The timing of the haphazard roller-coaster ride could not have been worse, with three major assignments comprising Asia Cup, World Twenty and the Big Three issue waiting to be dealt with. Who will tell us why there was no single mechanism to form a concrete policy; the respected PM or the court?
Thereafter, the PM, using his authority as patron-in-chief, presented Sethi with the PCB crown. However, the selection for the mega events were made by a headless selection committee – without a chief selector – including Azhar Khan, Saleem Jaffar and Farrukh Zaman.
The trio of selectors further strengthened the theory of a headless committee, announcing two different squads despite knowing that both tournaments will be played in Bangladesh with a gap of a couple of days.
Astonishingly, four changes were required between the two tournaments. Misbahul Haq, Fawad Alam, Anwar Ali and Abdur Rehman were replaced by the duo of underperformers Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik, both having displayed average domestic showing, while Zulfiqar Babar and Sohail Tanvir were brought in as T20 specialists.
The electors reasoned that Rehman-Babar and Anwar-Bilawal Bhatti were equal for them, thus they left the choice to the captain to pick whoever they want — neglecting their primary duties despite receiving hefty salaries.
Further confusion ensued when five pacers – Junaid Khan, Umer Gul, Bhatti, Mohammad Talha and Tanvir – were announced for the World Twenty20 squad. It seemed as if the event was being played in Australia or South Africa.
Ahmed Shehzad, Sharjeel Khan, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood and Kamran were the only recognised batsmen with Malik, Hafeez and Shahid Afridi falling in the all-rounders’ category along with Bhatti. Saeed Ajmal and Babar were the only pure spinners.
Sharjeel was not given a single opportunity in the competition, while there was no back up for the middle-order, with selectors snubbing the likes of Haris Sohail, Yasir Hameed and Shahzaib Hasan.
Who is responsible for this poor selection; the three selectors – who will now enjoy some other lucrative posts in PCB – or Hafeez? Whose insecurity resulted in selecting more pacers instead of batsmen, and why?
The management, comprising Moin Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Shoaib Mohammad and Zakir Khan, is equally responsible for the debacle as there was news of serious conflict between Zakir and Moin that made matters more difficult. What will be their future?
What action will be taken against the medical panel that gives the go-ahead to players not a 100% fit?
The PCB chairman has sacked lower staff that was earning peanuts; will he now be brave enough to drop the axe on people like Hafeez, Moin, Zaheer, Shoaib, Zakir, Intikhab Alam and other former selectors still employed in different capacities?
The ball is in the chairman’s court; it remains to be seen how keen and determined he is to put Pakistan cricket on the right track with the right decisions.
The writer is a reporter for the Sports desk at The Express Tribune.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 3rd, 2014.
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COMMENTS (14)
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Someone in Pakistan as a Pakistan patriot and cricket die-hard fan should file a lawsuit in Pakistan Supreme court against PCB on how the Pakistan Cricket Board is run for political motives by incompetent officials. Or maybe the Supreme Court should take suo moto notice on this. Maybe then we could see some major overhaul happening at the Board level to help trickle down professionalism in all aspects of the board management, the game, and the players. Great analysis by the writer otherwise.
Make Shahid Afridi captain and he will help Pakistan become champions.
He is the warrior we need to Marshall our troops because Hafeez and Misbah are no good as leaders
@Iknowit
You know nothing about cricket m afraid. New Zealand, Australia and England can be excused for a reason that these were not similar home conditions but for Pakistan it was like playing on pitches at home slow low bounce pitches. Polish your skills and knowledge first try to put things in perspective before speaking out
Forget to mention one thing more. Honorable Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and courts part is excellent point from the writer because we could not focus on challenges ahead when this power of egos and PCB chair battle was going on. International Teams plan for such tournament way before but we gave ourselves merely a month.
What on earth those selectors were thinking fielding five fast bowlers in conditions of Bangladesh. They must have been high during the time of selection because apart from Junaid no other pacer was worth of a place. Bilawal Bhatti has not performed upto the mark other than his debut match, umar gul looked unfit, Sohail Tanvir has played enough for Pakistan a line should be drawn on him and Talha may be a good bowler in ODIs and Tests but not T20. Aizaz Cheema and Anwar Ali should have been picked,to partner Junaid Khan in the squad. Instead Pakistan should have selected batsman like Haris Sohail, Khalid Latif, Yasir Hameed, Awais Zia, Nasir Jamshed or Shahzaib Hasan
Where is Sethi's Chirya now he was putting Pakistan in semis????????? Can anyone tell how Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik get in the team whenever there is a big,tournament. They are not worth anymore just serial underperformers
@Ch. Allah daad Dude you can't doubt cricketing credentials of of more than 1 Billion people. T20 is the reality of modern era which you have to x-cept.
There should always be a disection process after such appalling performances because its not just about the team its about a nation and its fans whether in Pakistan or outside the country. We pray for them like mad and thus have every right,to demand action against them when they put on such horrific shows in a world cup (MOTHER OF ALL TOURNAMENTS)
@IknowIt Its not like pressing panic button. Pakistan had three embarrassing moments on big three, Asia Cup and now in World T20
Accountability is need of hour!
I wonder if anyone would be advising the same to Australian and New Zealand Boards and after a few days three more Boards to start the blame game and start firing the coaches and players. Analyse it as it merits not like panic-stricken immature reactionaries...
I doubt cricketing credentials of a person who takes T20 cricket seriously.
What an article. Really loved it the writer has summed up things which should be taken into account while considering overall failure of Pakistan team in World Cup