Pakistan ODI skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wasim-Akram-c96292’s backing
Former Pakistan left-arm swing bowler Wasim Akram has extended his support to the current ODI skipper Shahid Afridi and reiterated that appointing a new ODI captain in place of Afridi just before the 2011 World Cup would be counterproductive.
For Afridi, this support from his mentor couldn’t have come at a better time, because the all-rounder is under tremendous scrutiny from all quarters regarding his future as the captain of the national squad.
Wasim, while backing Afridi, advised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) not to disturb the current team by replacing the skipper because in his eyes Afridi was certainly the right man to lead Pakistan at this point in time. He said,
“The PCB should carry on with Shahid Khan Afridi as skipper for World Cup 2011 as he is the best man to lead Pakistan in One Day Internationals from the current group of players.”
On Tuesday, the PCB selection committee announced the 15-member team for the World Cup leaving out the nomination of a captain. The decision by the PCB not to name the national team captain has received criticism from many former
players, who felt that the Board should have announced the name of the skipper with the team.
Akram expressed his confusion at the PCB’s behaviour and while talking to the media, he said, “It is a strange practice to me and it only means that it gives many players an idea that they are contenders for the captaincy and that
could spoil the spirit in the dressing room. The captain should have been announced first and the squad should have been picked with his input to the selectors as well."
Akram reiterated that by not naming the captain, the PCB has put enormous pressure on Afridi, which is not going to have a positive impact on the all-rounder.
He emphasized that although in Pakistan cricket senior players are always ready to take over the realms of captaincy; however, a new captain at this time would face tremendous difficulty in keeping the players in line and getting
the best out of them in the World Cup. He clarified that any player who would be appointed as captain at this time would endure a negative effect on his performance as a player in the team. In the eyes of the veteran, the best thing would be to have faith
in Afridi.
The former pacer rubbished the suggestions that the PCB wanted to see how Afridi would perform as the ODI skipper in the six-match ODI series in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 against the Kiwis before finalising the decision on the captaincy for
the World Cup. “If the board is waiting to see how Afridi performs as captain in the one-day series in New Zealand I don't think that is a wise move because this is not the time to change the captain. For the World Cup they must persist with Afridi," Akram
said.
When asked about the chances of the national team in the World Cup, Akram didn’t label the men in green as favourites and pointed out that http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 would have to play out of their skin to win the World Cup because of the absence
of many match-winning players such as Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif from the team.
The two pacers are facing suspension from the International Cricket Council (ICC) because of an alleged involvement in spot-fixing. Along with the two pacers, opening batsman and former Test captain Salman Butt is also facing the
same charges. The three players are currently awaiting the announcement of the verdict of their hearing which is set to be made public on the 5th of February. Earlier this month, the ICC’s anti-corruption tribunal heard the hearing of the spot-fixing
case from 6th to 11th of this month.
The deadline for the 15-member squad has passed, but the ICC has permitted Pakistan to add the trio in the World Cup squad if they manage to get acquitted.
However, Wasim was of the opinion that it would not be a good idea to include the players in case they were cleared from all charges levelled against them. Akram stressed that the players would not be effective in the tournament
because they have been out of match practice. “Even if any of these players are cleared I don't think it would be a good idea to include them into the World Cup squad because they were suspended in September and since then have been going through a lot of
mental pressure and stress. I think it would be better to give them some time to settle down and then include them into the national team," Akram said.
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