Shahid Afridi fears for team's World Cup chances
Pakistan spurned a good chance of salvaging some pride in the third and final one-dayer on Sunday, losing by one run in the final over in Abu Dhabi.
Needing just two to win in the 50th and final over, Pakistan lost Sohail Tanvir (ten) off spinner Glenn Maxwell's second ball and then Mohammad Irfan (nought) off the last.
Afridi said Pakistan cannot go into the World Cup in February and March in Australia and New Zealand with such performances.
"If we are not able to win on these pitches then we have to think we can't go into the World Cup with these performances," said Afridi.
Pakistan have now lost five straight one-dayers after losing the last two in a 2-1 defeat in Sri Lanka in August.
Afridi said the batsmen once again spoilt the good work of the bowlers who kept Australia down to 231-9 in 50 overs on Sunday.
"If you look overall we have spoilt the good work of the bowlers," said Afridi of the attack which saw paceman Sohail Tanvir taking 3-40 and himself finishing with 2-44.
"On this pitch it looked as if they will get 280-plus. We managed to keep them down to 231 but from the Twenty20 game to the third one-dayer our problem has been a lack of partnerships. When we build a partnership our wickets start to fall," said Afridi, who is Pakistan's Twenty20 captain.
Pakistan lost the only Twenty20 which preceded the one-day series by five wickets in Dubai.
On Sunday, Pakistan were without regular one-day captain Misbah-ul-Haq who opted to rest because of a poor run of scores.
"The Pakistan captaincy is not an easy job," said Afridi when asked why Misbah stepped aside. "It was Misbah's own decision to rest."
When asked would he like to continue the one-day captaincy until the World Cup, Afridi said: "I think whoever is captain - Misbah or me - we should know about it. If I am to captain in the World Cup then I should know about it."
Pakistan Cricket Board chairperson Shaharyar Khan said it will be up to Misbah to decide whether or not he wants to lead Pakistan in the World Cup, but that the board has already started considering other options.
The PCB earlier this year appointed Misbah one-day captain until 2015 World Cup.
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@Shamshad Nabi: u r a stupid guy.pls try to respect senior players.
Misbah is a good wise captain but terribly out of form. Afridi is a good captain and an excellent bowler. He lost his batting prowess long ago, so his batting should not be considered as a demerit or a must for survival in the team. Even then a few 4s and 6s by Afridi now and then and we may end up winning a T20 or one day match. Besides he still has star or hercules type of appeal in the public eye so lets not forget the importance of such things also. Moreover, some of the so called "youngsters and new-comers" are neither young nor new and no serious cricket lover would like to base a team around them. So a handful of 5 at the maximum could be taken for the world cup team and no more since some of them are not dependable at all. The Akmal brothers, whatever their follies, should always be kept in view, specially Umar. So in my opinion the test match captain should be Misbah for the time being and Afridi for the shorter one day form of the game plus T20 for the world cup team. Lets find their proper replacements in 2015!
Proposed Team :
Imran Farhat or Sarfaraz Ahmed Ahmed Shahzad Asad Shafiq Sohaib Maqsood Anwar Ali Umer Akmal Misbah ul Haq Afridi Junaid Zulqarnain Babar Irfan Sohail Tanvir.Fawad Alam played his last T-20 and is not capable of Batting, Fielding/catching. He should be kicked out.
8 and below should be give batting practice so that we may not repeat mistakes like previous ones.It is just that Afridi hann't struck form. This does happen to the best of players. In Four Matches - One T20 and Three ODIs - according to my information Afridi scored a total of Twelve Runs and has taken Four Wickets. I would like my statement to be corrected - if need be. I am sure that Afridi will regain his form and lead Pakistan to victory in the World Cup. Cheers
The problem with pakistan is that there is no cricket at home. And that will hurt the development of players at the grass root level. Pakistan is not able to play as often as they should, or as often as other countries do. Pakistan is fast becoming the new 'New Zealand' of world cricket.
We should skip this world cup and create a bring up a brand new talented players purely on merit. And let someone from South Africa, England or Australia select the team. Pakistanis cannot be trusted anymore.
@Farooq Arshed: GO AFRIDI GO, for God's sake concentrate on your commercials, forget cricket.
This is all "big 3" conspiracy. They are paying PCB to keep Afridi/Misbah in the team. They are jealous of the new young talent of Pakistan and don't want that talent in world cup because then Pakistan may have very good chances of winning. They want Pakistan to go to World cup with these old players. They also caused the exit of the only good old player Yunus Khan from the team. Go "big 3" go.
Yar there were 10 newcomers in last odi and only afridi was a senior..how much newcomers u want dn't blame senior if all senior sit n a young captain come dn't thnk so umar akmal , shahzad,umer amin, sohaib, fawad , asad, they likely acept a young captain...no one even acept each other....u want over team like bangladash.... Look at Srilanka ...n learn their team work...they respect there seniors ....
I agree with muhammed irfans squad, they need to.bring previous squad from 2011 wc if they stand a chance of winning the world cup 2015!
If Pakistan Team Sequed In World Cup 2015 Then Chances will so Good. Very Very Talanted & Good Also Dangerous Players prove in World Cup 2015. 1. Ahmed Shahzad (Bat) 2. Kamran Akmal (Bat) 3. Muhammad Hafeez (Bat & Bow) 4. Shoaib Malik (Bat & Bow) 5. Asad Shafiq (Bat) 6. Younis Khan (Bat) 7. Misbah (Bat) 8. Shahid Afridi (Bat & Bow) Caption 9. A.Razzaq (Bat & Bow) 10. Umer Akmal (Bat) 11. Saeed Ajmal (Bow) 12. Umer Gul (Bow) 13. Jonaid Khan (Bow) 14. M.Sami (Bow) 15. M.Irfan
In the 3rd ODI what if Australia was letting us win since the 3rd ODI victory did not mean anything to them...right? We still could not get our act together...why? Teams get tired when there is consistent poor performance...it is the "let's go home" feeling that sets in. No wonder Misbah decided to sit out...it is the lack of confidence in themselves and the team.
I still contend...let's skip the world cup and focus on building a rock solid team by them IK will be PM and we will have a PCB that the team and country deserves...right?
I still think Pakistan must consider Abdul Razzaq for World Cup 2015. He has always been effective and the perfect match winner / finisher for Pakistan. From the time he was sidelined by Misbah / Hafeez Pakistan is struggling to find finisher of the game and unable to do so. He is still better than Sohail Tanveer / Yasir Arafat / Shoaib Malik / Shahid Afridi..
Haha pseduo analysts..all of you..what are u left with if Afridi quits right now..there is no ajmal, hafeez injuredq..Afridi is the highest wicket taking spinner in this series. And perhaps the most economical of all bowlers. And he dint get tail enders out but batsmen like warner and glenn maxwell..His bowling warrants him a place.batting..not so.
Plus there was a stark difference in the way pak fielded under misbah and afridi..massive improvement..no dropped catches and minimal misfields.
Also..Pakistan Has been a massively average team since 1999...crashed out infirst rounds only in 2003 and 2007..Afridi broke the 11 year jinx and spearheaded pak with is bowling into the semi-finals.
The problem with the Pakistan Teams is that they have not carried out Team rebuilding which should have been donee some three years back. There are too many non performing Senior Player . The most obvious Non Performing Senior Players are Afridi and Misbah . After their dismal performance in UAE they should be retired immediately .
With the old lot around............our chances are ZERO.
“I think whoever is captain – Misbah or me – we should know about it. If I am to captain in the World Cup then I should know about it.”
Actually all of them should know that their age and performance warrants them to vacate the space and let new comers try out.
@Khalid Bhatti: They should select EVERYONE on merit actually
In the words of a "great" former PM "why don't they just leave?!?!"
Pakistan must select player on merit.
This Afridi man need to be taken off the team. He is no longer effective. Riding on past glories. Very arrogant and self centered.
Afridi didn't said anything about his poor shot? Why he didn't built partnership and threw away his wicket as usual.