I could have won this World Cup for Pakistan: Shoaib Malik
Pakistan’s discarded middle-order batman Shoaib Malik has admitted to the fact that he is currently passing through the toughest time of his career after he was excluded from Pakistan’s 15-member World Cup squad.
Malik, while giving an interview to a foreign radio, admitted that playing the World Cup is every player’s dream and it is very hurtful for him to admit that he would not be playing in this year’s World Cup, which is set to begin
from the 19th of February in the subcontinent.
Malik expressed sadness for being overlooked by the selection committee when he was at the peak of his form. He said, “And it becomes more disappointing when one is ignored when one is in the best form of his life. I have never
been in form like this before in 11 years of my international career the way I played in the recently concluded Quaid Trophy.”
He was the second-highest scorer in the domestic Quaid-i-Azam Trophy, where in just six matches he scored 799 runs, which is impressive by all standards. The prolific batsman reiterated that he had wanted to help Pakistan win cricket’s
biggest event. “Cricket is my passion. I thought I could have won this World Cup for Pakistan and that is why it is very difficult to make myself understand. But then it’s not the end of the world and cricket too. I will not leave playing cricket and try to
cash in other opportunities come my way by playing domestic cricket and events outside the country.”
According to reports, the batsman failed to explain the presence of 90,000 pounds in his bank account to the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 Cricket Board’s (PCB) integrity committee last month due to which the committee refused to clear his name for
selection in World Cup squad. However, Malik, in his interview, rebuffed these media reports and clarified that he had given each and every detail regarding his financial assets. Talking to the radio, he said, “I have not hidden anything from the PCB integrity
committee. Like in Pakistan you can’t approach any body’s bank account abroad. But I gave every detail of my Pakistani and foreign assets and bank accounts to the PCB but yet I was not selected. I won’t start firing at any one because it’s not my nature and
I always try to remain away from controversies.”
The PCB had asked a certain group of players including Malik, Kamran Akmal and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Danish-Kaneria-c1314 to disclose the details of their financial assets in a bid to scrutinize their earnings because the International Cricket Council had
expressed its concern regarding the role of these players in match-fixing.
Speaking on the prospects of his national side in the 2011 World Cup, he stressed that senior players would have to take responsibility in the upcoming cricket extravaganza. “In a mega event like World Cup only seniors can take
pressure of the situations and that’s why I think Pakistan should be relying on experienced players,” he said.
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