Coach Azhar, manager Cheema should be sacked: Sallu

Ex-Test cricketer and selector calls for appointing competent people for the key posts

KARACHI:

Former Test cricketer and chief selector Salahuddin Sallu on Thursday said that the inconsistency in Pakistan team's current performance is mainly due to the presence of a few incompetent support staff such as coach Azhar Mahmood and manager Naveed Akram Cheema.

Sallu, in a candid chat with The Express Tribune, said both Azhar and Cheema did not deserve to be with the team as both were incompetent people and were not contributing to the national team's betterment in any way.

"It has been more than a year that Azhar Mahmood has been a joyrider with the Pakistan team. He is a failure as a coach but is somehow being retained despite his poor record," argued Sallu.

The world record ten-time national selector recalled how the PSL outfit Islamabad United had sacked Azhar two years ago for his incompetence and failure to deliver. "When a local franchise could see through the bogus credentials of Azhar, why can't the Pakistan Cricket Board?" he asked.

Sallu said while PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi and head coach- cum-selector Aqib Javed were doing a fine job to help Pakistan Cricket finds its feet, weak links like Azhar and Cheema were hurting the national team's graph by not delivering when needed.

"Tell me, what is Naveed Cheema's credentials in cricket and what has he achieved?" questioned Sallu.

"He (Naveed) was a Punjab bureaucrat who has obviously played his cards right to grab the team manager's position. But he is certainly not a deserving candidate for the post."

"When Pakistan cricket has a number of seasoned and competent former players and officials like Intikhab Alam, Mushtaq Mohammad, Salim Altaf, Majid Khan and others available to serve Pakistan Cricket, how can we choose someone like Cheema who does not know even the 'abc' of cricket?" contested Sallu.

Sallu praised PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi's firm stance on the Champions Trophy and said his leadership and tireless efforts are yielding wonderful results for Pakistan Cricket.

"Thanks to Naqvi Sahab, our cricket is back on track," observed Sallu. "He (PCB Chairman) has put both ICC and Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) on the backfoot by taking an unprecedented stand for Pakistan Cricket which has raised the country's image all around."

"Sallu added that the appointment of a competent and hard-working person like Aqib Javed has paid off handsomely and there are clear signs of improvement in team's performance.

"Naqvi played a master-stroke by appointing Aqib whose out-of-the-box thinking has revived Pakistan cricket's fortunes," noted Sallu. "I am glad that so many youngsters and newcomers are being given a chance by our selectors and it has significantly strengthened our bench strength."

"Barely a few years ago, many of the former players and critics were saying that cricketing talent has dried up in Pakistan and there is not much hope left for a revival.

But as the old saying goes that 'where there is will there is a way', so both Naqvi and Aqib have shown through their will and intellect that everything is possible and a bright future awaits Pakistan Cricket," concluded Sallu.