Unfazed by reports of unrest, Pakistan team focusing only on cricket: report

Blogger present at training session says mood of the team was generally upbeat with no signs of a rift


Web Desk February 19, 2015

Unfazed by recent reports of unrest which threatened to rock Pakistan’s World Cup campaign, the focus of the the Pakistan team during training in Christchurch on Thursday was simply cricket.

On Wednesday, reports claimed fielding coach Grant Luden resigned after a tiff with Shahid Afridi, Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal. However, hours later the Pakistan Cricket Board clarified, "Reports stating that there has been a tiff between three players, Afridi, Shehzad and Akmal and fielding coach Luden and that the latter has resigned because of it, are absolutely false and that nothing of the sort has happened.”

The mood of the team was generally upbeat, laughter echoed and if there was any truth in earlier reports of rifts between the team and fielding coach, it was veiled well by the team during training this afternoon, according to a blog by Jamie Alter on cricbuzz.com.

You can read the blog here:

If there were rumblings within the team, Pakistan did well to hide it under the surface during training in Christchurch on Thursday afternoon, with the mood generally upbeat and plenty of laughs had before the players got into their individual and collective grooves.

In the past week, this Pakistan team has had eight players reportedly being fined for breaking team curfew ahead of their World Cup opening against India, which they subsequently lost by 76 runs, and further unrest has been reported between players and the fielding coach. Yesterday, news that Grant Luden had put in his papers, reportedly after being spoken to inappropriately by certain players, was followed by a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesperson stating that Luden would remain in his role.

Away from the media glare they would have attracted in Adelaide, training alongside India no doubt heightening the focus, Pakistan were able to go about their routines in the unassuming setting of Hagley Park. Their session began with a playful yet competitive form of football and tennis, during which the spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed was very active and vociferous in his appealing for what he clearly felt were wrong calls by the appointed referee. Misbahul Haq appeared the least involved, standing in the background and parrying the ball back softly whenever it found him.

After standard stretches, Pakistan's coach Waqar Younis and Mushtaq gave catching practice to Ahmed Shehzad and Haris Sohail. When both batsmen took low takes inches off the grass, Waqar and Mushtaq shouted their appreciation.

Luden gave Sarfraz Ahmed throw-downs for about 15 minutes, during which the wicketkeeper was seen animatedly expressing himself once after collecting a couple deliveries while diving full stretch to his left. But it would be presumptuous to read too much into that exchange, apart from the fact that Sarfraz will probably miss out against West Indies on Saturday because of how long Umar Akmal practiced his wicketkeeping after time in the nets.

The Pakistan bowlers put in good time at the practice nets behind the playing field, and the batsmen had decent hits. Sohaib Maqsood, in particular, appeared keen to belt the cover of the ball and was seen charging and heaving at both his team-mates and the local net bowlers. Sohail Khan, the sturdy right-arm fast bowler, bowled bouncers to Nasir Jamshed that had the left-hand opener ducking.

After training, Haris Sohail spoke of the need to forget the India defeat and look ahead. "That has passed so we are looking at the next game versus West Indies and then onwards. The boys are really geared up and ready, training hard. Hopefully, the positive results will show," he said.

On his own performance - he is 12 ODIs old - Sohail hoped to improve on a habit of getting starts but not converting. In his 11 ODI innings, the 26-year-old has crossed the fifty-mark only once and has five scores of between 20 and 39. "I'm missing out a bit but practicing hard. I get to 30-odd and then find ways to get out, so I'm keen to take such starts forward. The aim is that when I'm in such a situation, I don't falter and ensure I convert it into a long innings," he said. "The focus is to put in the hard yards. I've doubled my efforts in practice. I feel good. God-willing, the next time I'm in a situation to produce something good, I will produce a big innings."

You really can never tell what exactly is happening with Pakistan cricket teams, but from the hard yards put in at Hagley Oval the signs, outwardly at least, are that cricket is indeed the focus.

COMMENTS (4)

Haq | 9 years ago | Reply They are playing for glamour and more endorsements not for the team. Afridi has never been a team player and as a senior, he is showing the same attitude to newcomer Shahzad and Akmals are a different story all together when it comes to attitude. Bring back Fawad Alam, he scored a century in the Asia Cup and bring back Zulfiqar Babar.
rk singh | 9 years ago | Reply and they are focussing on selfies too.
VIEW MORE COMMENTS
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ