Waqar Younis missing suspended trio after Pakistan’s poor performance against South Africa (1st ODI)
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis was badly missing his suspended trio on the neutral venues of the UAE after losing the T20 series 2-0 and struggling 1-0 in the five-match ODI series against South Africa.
"We lost a few players after the England tour and it’s been a little tough at the moment and I think that is one big reason that we are struggling," said the former pacer of Pakistan, who took over as national
coach in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/March-c74391 this year.
Test captain Salman Butt and new-ball pair - Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir – were suspended by the ICC on 2nd September following spot-fixing allegations levelled against them by the British tabloid
News of the World. The newspaper had claimed that the pacer duo had bowled deliberate no-balls during the Lord’s Test after they were paid by a bookie http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mazhar-c75448 Majeed.
Both Amir and Butt were also in Dubai for the hearings of the appeals filed by the players against their provisional suspension. The hearings, carried out at the International Cricket Council’s headquarters in
Dubai on 30th and 31st of October, have rejected the appeals filed by both players, and they remain provisionally suspended by the ICC until “a code of conduct commission is formed to hear the case” (Michael Beloff, the ICC code of conduct
commissioner). Mohammad Asif withdrew his appeal last week on the advice of his lawyer.
Before the decision came out, Waqar Younis wished that it came in favour of the players. "I sincerely hope that the players are cleared and are available to play for Pakistan because they are key players."
Waqar said that Pakistan cricket is going through a difficult time.
The Pakistan team is also missing the services of its first choice wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal in the neutral venue series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757. There are reports that the wicketkeeper batsman is under-probe for
match-fixing. The elder Akmal was not picked up for the UAE tour after he had an appendicitis operation earlier this month.
"I am concerned. As I said, losing four players from your top eleven is never easy," Waqar said. "Of course, it's not an ideal situation with the World Cup just four months away."
Before the second ODI, Waqar urged the batting line-up of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 to improve its performances and show responsibility. The Pakistan team faced an eight-wicket defeat against the Proteas after losing the two-match
T20 series by 2-0. The key factor behind all the three losses was Pakistan’s disappointing batting. Waqar said that it would be quite difficult to defeat South Africa without putting up good totals.
However, he must have renewed confidence in his players after they came out triumphant (mainly due to Abdul Razzaq’s searing 109 off 72 deliveries) in the 2nd ODI against South Africa, even after the
Proteas posted an imposing total of 286. The five-match series is now level 1-1.
The Pakistan team is scheduled to play two Tests as well after the ODI series.
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