Waqar Younis not consulted for Pakistan Asia Cup squad Shoaib Akhtar in the team
Cricket in Pakistan is going through the worst phase these days. Continuously deteriorating performance of the players and their discipline has been further aggravated by the mishandling of cricket affairs by cricket authorities. Cricket in Pakistan is in the hands of an extremely inefficient and incompetent management.
Top brass of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is busy in dirty politics while asking the players not to indulge in such activities. They have made PCB a centre of conflicts and controversies. Consequently the high standard of cricket in Pakistan has gone down the drain. The general idea is that the Pakistan Cricket Board works under an autocratic system and its authorities do whatsoever it wants, having no regret.
Despite the ostensible reconciliation among the martial factions, lack of coordination and collaboration among the board authorities continues. The fresh example being that the national coach, Pakistan’s former fast bowler Waqar Younis, who holds a momentous position in the board, was not consulted while finalizing the national squad for the Asia Cup. The coach was not included even in the selection committee meeting. When the issue was raised, PCB boss Ijaz Butt gave an impudent reply that “Waqar should concentrate on his own job and not poke his nose in the administrative matters of the board”.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been inconsistent and discredited. Top brass of the board does not understand that running the board competently needs team work and not a one-man show. The all together banning of half a dozen players and then lifting of the ban is a solid proof of the PCB management’s complete inconsistency and failure of understanding cricket affairs.
The independent arbitrator hearing appeals of banned players, Irfan Qadir on Saturday, June 06, 2010, removed and reduced the penalties of former skipper Younis Khan and appointed Shahid Afridi skipper for the upcoming Asia Cup and England tour. Afridi was completely relieved from his fine, the indefinite ban on Younis Khan was lifted, and fines on the Akmal brothers, Kamran and Umar, abridged. The one-year bar on former Captain Shoaib Malik had also been lifted last week and it is expected that a parallel ban on Rana Naved-ul-Hasan will also be lifted later this month.
PCB is still waiting for former captain Muhammad Yousuf to revoke his decision of retirement from international cricket and be a part of the national squad for the England tour next month. Irfan Qadir has asked PCB to review Muhammad Yousuf’s indefinite ban. In response, PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt said, "Yousuf has not appealed, he has retired. We have sent messages to him through others that if he takes back his retirement he can play for Pakistan again. But he declined that."
On the other hand Mohammad Yousuf is confused about his cricket future. His plans are not lock, stock and barrel clear. Although he has refused to play this summer against Australia and England, but has hinted that he might withdraw from his retirement from international cricket for the series against South Africa, which would be played on the lush green grounds of United Arab Emirates (UAE) later in October.
Pakistan Cricket Board’s selection committee announced a 15-man squad for the Asia Cup, starting from June 15 in Sri Lanka on Tuesday, 3rd June, 2010.
The two Shoaibs, Malik and Akhtar made their comebacks in the national squad which would rightly be considered noteworthy everywhere else but in Pakistan. Few youngsters have also been given a place in the squad but a lot of attention will fall on the returning duo.
With no Umar Gul to escort Pakistan’s fast bowling, Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi believes that a fit-again Rawalpindi Express can be a weapon in Pakistan's bowling arsenal for Twenty20 and One-Day International playoffs.
Fitness, certainly, has never been an issue for newly married Shoaib Malik. He was shown the door by the PCB Inquiry Committee for having a bad disciplinary influence on the side. But the PCB made him play again for the national squad after having a so called check on him over three months. But some “hidden sources” revealed that his marriage with Indian tennis star, Sania Mirza provided him a way back to the national squad. Sources revealed that he has assured the captain of his good behavior and full support.
It seems that the Pakistan team is a blend of young blood and experience with a trio of youngsters Umar Amin, Asad Shafiq and Shahzaib Hasan being given a chance to show their skills in a high-quality competition.
Pakistani cricket fans can anticipate an Asia Cup final between Sri Lanka and Pakistan with the Lankan’s benefitting from the home ground and crowd.
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