President’s Trophy: Misbah stands firm in final against HBL
Captain hits patient half-century as SNGPL recall Adnan Akmal.
Misbah consumed 177 balls for his unbeaten 78 but also managed to hit 11 fours and a six over mid-on. PHOTO: FILE AFP
KARACHI:
Captain Misbahul Haq hit an unbeaten half-century to help SNGPL hit back to score 189 for four at stumps on the opening day of the President’s Trophy final against HBL in Karachi.
After a nervy start, when SNGPL were struggling at 49 for three, Misbah put on 72 with Azhar Ali to bring his side back in the reckoning on a slow day. Taufeeq Umar (16) was dismissed by Fahad Masood while Mohammad Hafeez (four) was removed early by Umar Gul who, keeping the series against South Africa in mind, did not put in his 100% effort with the ball.
Meanwhile, SNGPL brought back out-of-favour Adnan Akmal in the playing-XI while benching Muhammad Rizwan, who has played throughout the league phase. Adnan was recently axed from the Test squad as well after being left out by SNGPL in the earlier matches. Rizwan, though, had done well in the nine matches, scoring 437 runs at an average of 36.4 with a century and two fifties and accumulating 31 dismissals.
It has been learnt that Rizwan was overlooked by the team management for the crucial contest in order to back Adnan after he was dropped from the national side.
“We included him because we wanted to show that he shouldn’t have been dropped from Pakistan’s Test side,” an SNGPL team official told The Express Tribune. “Rizwan did well and we didn’t want to disturb the playing-XI but had to make this change for the final.”
Hafeez, when asked about Adnan’s inclusion for the final, left it up to the captain and team management, saying that he did not have any input in selection matters for the club side.
‘SNGPL are to be blamed’
Meanwhile, the selection committee felt that SNGPL were questioning the selectors instead of questioning their own move.
One of the selectors said that the club side did not play Adnan in the competition and thus they cannot back him for his inclusion in the Pakistan team.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2013.
Captain Misbahul Haq hit an unbeaten half-century to help SNGPL hit back to score 189 for four at stumps on the opening day of the President’s Trophy final against HBL in Karachi.
After a nervy start, when SNGPL were struggling at 49 for three, Misbah put on 72 with Azhar Ali to bring his side back in the reckoning on a slow day. Taufeeq Umar (16) was dismissed by Fahad Masood while Mohammad Hafeez (four) was removed early by Umar Gul who, keeping the series against South Africa in mind, did not put in his 100% effort with the ball.
Meanwhile, SNGPL brought back out-of-favour Adnan Akmal in the playing-XI while benching Muhammad Rizwan, who has played throughout the league phase. Adnan was recently axed from the Test squad as well after being left out by SNGPL in the earlier matches. Rizwan, though, had done well in the nine matches, scoring 437 runs at an average of 36.4 with a century and two fifties and accumulating 31 dismissals.
It has been learnt that Rizwan was overlooked by the team management for the crucial contest in order to back Adnan after he was dropped from the national side.
“We included him because we wanted to show that he shouldn’t have been dropped from Pakistan’s Test side,” an SNGPL team official told The Express Tribune. “Rizwan did well and we didn’t want to disturb the playing-XI but had to make this change for the final.”
Hafeez, when asked about Adnan’s inclusion for the final, left it up to the captain and team management, saying that he did not have any input in selection matters for the club side.
‘SNGPL are to be blamed’
Meanwhile, the selection committee felt that SNGPL were questioning the selectors instead of questioning their own move.
One of the selectors said that the club side did not play Adnan in the competition and thus they cannot back him for his inclusion in the Pakistan team.
“Adnan’s case was weakened by SNGPL. They preferred Rizwan over Adnan and now they are questioning us which isn’t understandable,” a selector said, adding that now they have done injustice to Rizwan by dropping him in a match that he should have played.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2013.