Abdul Razzaq bemused after getting axed from West Indies tour
Pakistan all-rounder, Abdul Razzaq, is disappointed after facing the axe for the tour to the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760.
The national selection committee headed by former Test opening batsman, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Khan-c71319, announced the squad for the tour, with the veteran all-rounder dumped for upcoming youngster, Hammad Azam, who hails from Rawalpindi.
Razzaq stated that he was unhappy with the treatment meted out to him by the team management in the World Cup tournament where he did not bowl a full 10 overs in even one of the match, while his role was also restricted with the bat, with
the right hander batting at number 8 in all but one match.
The only time that he batted at No.7 was in the semi-final against India, which the Men in Green lost by 29 runs to crash out of the event. He added that he was not given a proper run in the tournament and has been left out of the team
without being told the reasons.
He feels that he has been hard done by the team and deserved better, being the senior pro in the team, who has been representing http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 since 1996.
"I was told to bat at No. 8 and I hardly got a few overs in every match. So, where does the question of my non-performance arise"?, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Razzaq-c84421 was quoted as saying by
PTI, he asked "How can one perform when he is batting at No. 8 and bowling just a few overs in every match"?
The tournament was a mixed bag for the veteran. He bowled some impressive spells throughout but was also ordinary in crucial games against New Zealand and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750.
His best was a two wicket haul against the Australians at Colombo. He was brought into the attack in the second half of the innings and succeeded in nailing two batsmen including Vice-captain, Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120.
Over all the steady campaigner took part in eight games at the World Cup, he was decent with the ball claiming five wickets at an average of 32.20.
He failed to make an impact with the bat, as the big-hitter, who had been in prolific form with the bat amassed a total of 104 runs in the tournament.
His highest was 62 that he scored against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Green-c60723, in a match played at Pallekele in Kandy.
He added that he tried to persuade the team management to send him higher in the order, he claimed that he was ready to bat at the tricky No.3 spot where he had batted in the 1999 World Cup but the management did not pay heed to his requests.
"One hardly gets time to settle in or build a proper innings. It was the same situation in bowling also", Razzaq said. "I had told the team management I was ready to bat at No. 3 because I have batted at that position before and have also
done well. But as it was the World Cup and due to requirements of the team, the management didn't accept my point of view and I was kept at No. 8."
A few months before the World Cup Razzaq had told certain sections of the media that he was keen on bowing out of the game on a high and wanted to perform at his best in the premier tournament with an aim of taking his team to glory.
It remains to be seen if he will retire from the game anytime soon.
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