Tour of West Indies: Mohsin blasts team management

Former coach believes Wahab was the wrong choice to deliver final over.

KARACHI:

Former coach Mohsin Khan believed Pakistan should have saved paceman Junaid Khan to bowl the final over of the innings against the West Indies in the tied third One-Day International (ODI).

Skipper Misbahul Haq gathered senior players before handing the ball to Wahab Riaz, a decision that backfired as the paceman conceded 14 runs when the hosts needed 15 to win.

Mohsin said Junaid’s ability to bowl yorkers would have helped Pakistan’s cause.

“Pakistan should’ve saved Junaid for the last over because he is the best bowler to bowl at the death,” Khan told The Express Tribune.

“He can reverse swing the ball, has good yorkers and can pace a slower ball as well. The team management should have conveyed the message to Misbah because in the field sometimes the captain doesn’t know what to do.

“On the other hand, Wahab doesn’t have a track record of bowling economical overs at the end. Dav Whatmore should’ve realised it in his game plan.”

The former coach also blasted the management for not playing Junaid in the first ODI and then dropping Asad Shafiq in the third match, stressing that the lineup should include players who are Pakistan’s future.

Mohsin stated the team had taken victory for granted in the last five overs, expressing his amusement at Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez not being called to bowl at a crucial stage.

‘Playing a makeshift wicket-keeper a mistake’

The 58-year-old stressed that asking Umar Akmal to keep wickets – a non-regular wicket-keeper – was a mistake and said that Pakistan should have gone with a regular gloveman.

“The management and their policy is at fault because you don’t play non-regular wicket-keepers in Tests or ODIs.

“Umar isn’t to be blamed because he is doing what he has been asked to do. He missed an important catch and a run-out in the end which cost Pakistan the game.”

Khan, who represented Pakistan in 48 Tests and 75 ODIs, further elaborated that a strong message should be conveyed to Nasir Jamshed and Hafeez for throwing away their wickets cheaply.

“Jamshed is talented, but he needs to start learning to play for the team and not for himself. Similarly, Hafeez also needs to understand that he cannot throw away precious wickets,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2013.

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