Salman Butt confident of leading Pakistan after Afridi’s retirement
After a shocking retirement of Shahid Khan Afridi from Test cricket, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has once again surprised everyone by nominating http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Salman-c88163 Butt as successor of Afridi. In-form Butt, who scored two half centuries in Lord’s Test will now lead the national side in the ongoing tour of England where as controversial Kamran Akmal has been appointed vice-captain.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ijaz-Butt-c64128, who is famous for eccentric behaviour deferred the decision for a day as he was busy negotiating with former Test captain Mohammad Yousuf regarding his return from international retirement and back to the team. However, after the failure of negotiations with Yousuf, Ijaz Butt was left with no option but to elevate Salman to the status of captain.
In another shocking development, PCB appointed Kamran Akmal as vice-captain. Controversial wicket-keeper was Yousaf’s deputy during the team dismal tour of Australia where Pakistan failed to record single victory in any format. He was involved in controversy alongside his brother during that tour. As a result he was fined heavily by PCB when he refused to accommodate PCB’s replacement Sarfraz Ahmed in Melbourne Test following his poor performance with the gloves in Sydney. Despite having such ill-disciplinary record, PCB’s decision to make him vice-captain is beyond any comprehension.
PCB issued press release to announce their decision to make Salman Butt as captain. Press release issued on Saturday said, “Salman Butt was appointed as captain of Pakistan Test team for the second Test against Australia and the four Tests against England. Kamran Akmal was appointed vice-captain. The matter regarding Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousaf’s inclusion in the team was also discussed but was later deferred”.
Salman Butt is the seventh captain for Pakistan in three year and fifth in last 20 months. This fact alone proves incompetence and inability of PCB to manage affairs of Pakistan cricket. On the other hand, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 just had four captains in last 20 years. This consistency on top led Australians to achieve brilliant results in last two decades. PCB’s incapacity to stick to one captain and infighting within team due to player power has resulted in pathetic state in which Pakistan’s side today find itself.
However, Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed believes that Pakistan cricket is not plagued by crises. Talking to media, he said, “It is not crises situation. The captain (Afridi) announcing his retirement midway through a series may be a shock to others but I appreciate Afridi’s decision which is based on truth. A lot of people would have carried on for financial gain but he does not have the temperament for Test cricket and this was a good call for the team”.
Meanwhile, Salman Butt is confident that he will deliver as a captain for Pakistan. The timing to name him captain is odd as he is just beginning to reassert himself in Test cricket. Salman Butt’s tenure will be equally futile in terms of result unless PCB recalls veteran batsmen Younis and Yousuf as Pakistan lack middle-order depth. But PCB’s ineffectiveness especially dysfunctional personality of its chairman puts Pakistan’s cricket into its lowest point. Any other organisation with such dismal record had its top leadership sacked long ago. Yet Ijaz Butt due to his high profile contacts is still at midst of PCB. The success of this Tour will determine the future prospects for Pakistan cricket. If this Tour resulted in similar disappointment of Australian Tour, then one thing is certain, Pakistan would have new captain.
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