Latif calls for revolution after nightmare

Pakistan suffer massive 169-run defeat in third ODI against England

KARACHI: The Trent Bridge train wreck on Tuesday is a tough pill to swallow for even the most ardent Pakistan supporters, and cricket pundits are no different.

The third ODI of the series was a harrowing experience for Azhar Ali and his team, so much so that the Men in Green got collared for a world record score of 444-3 before throwing in the towel with the bat 169 runs short of the colossal target.

Besides labelling the whole unit as a ‘C’ team, former captain and wicketkeeper Rashid Latif has asked for a revolution in the 50-overs format if Pakistan are to avoid the humiliation of missing out on direct qualification for the 2019 World Cup.

“This isn’t football; Pakistan can’t afford to miss out on the World Cup like many leading football clubs miss out on league spots during their barren runs,” an irate Latif told The Express Tribune. “Missing out on the premier ODI tournament will not only spell immediate doom but will also bring massive financial loss for both the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and overall for the sport in the country. We need a revolution and need to be clear in our heads about what we want.”



‘Don’t burden Sarfraz with captaincy’

Latif agreed with the popular notion that Azhar needs to be relieved of captaincy in the format, but cautioned the PCB against appointing wicketkeeper-batsman and T20I captain Sarfraz Ahmed in his place.

“Sarfraz is the only player who is performing consistently; if you burden him further at this juncture of his career his performances can suffer,” said Latif. “Let him concentrate on T20I captaincy for now. I think the stakeholders need to look at a short-term replacement for Azhar, perhaps even bringing back Younus Khan, Shahid Afridi or Misbahul Haq to lead the team and groom a possible replacement captain like Imad Wasim.”



The former right-handed batsman also wants the selectors to develop a pool of players suited to modern requirements and feels that the selections for ODIs left a lot to be desired.

“Forget about scoring 50-ball centuries, we don’t have even one batsman other than Sharjeel Khan who can play at run a ball,” he said. “Where are the hitters for the last 10-15 overs? Not sure I can blame Azhar much with the resources he was given.”



‘Players suffer due to knee-jerk reactions’

Latif is of the opinion that the one-day predicament has deep roots and said that rather than criticising just the current squad, the PCB must track down the origins of the malaise.

He observed that a number of capable and brave players curb their natural game before losing the plot — and eventually their spots — in the team.

“There is a real need for the induction of brave players like Umar Akmal, Ahmed Shehzad, Sohaib Maqsood, Asad Shafiq and Khalid Latif,” said the erstwhile Test cricketer. “These players have suffered due to inconsistent selections and confused game plans despite starting their careers promisingly. We need to make them part of our long-term plan and see where we can utilise them efficiently.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2016.

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