Former Pakistan keeper-batter Atiq-uz-Zaman has expressed his disappointment over the Pakistan team’s current situation, stating that the team is currently in shambles and at an all-time low.
On Monday, August 31, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released seven players after suffering a Test series defeat to England. Interestingly, PCB also sacked the Test head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul, and they will be replaced by Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke for the third and final Test.
Further, PCB revealed in its media statement that Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad have been asked to return home.
The PCB will bring in seven replacements. Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran and Razaullah have been added to the updated Pakistan Test squad.
“I don’t understand why Khurram Shehzad was dropped or why the spinner (Ali Usman) was sent home after taking the most wickets in the Leeds Test. All of a sudden, now T20 bowlers are brought into the Test squad. Why? Because Mike Hesson has his personal favourites, and he brought those players into Test cricket.
“I don’t understand what’s going on. Pakistan cricket is in shambles at the moment. It really hurts me because, even though I live in England, I am Pakistani at heart. I played for my country and I want them to improve and perform well in different conditions. Pakistan cricket is currently at an all-time low,” Atiq-uz-Zaman told IANS.
“There is no justification for it. The same people who selected them are the ones turning around and deselecting them. That means either you made a mistake in the first place, or you are making a mistake right now.
“Look, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul are greats of Pakistan cricket. They’ve won World Cups for Pakistan. Sarfaraz won a World Cup at the U19 level and then won the Champions Trophy as national captain. He deserves respect. Now, I personally didn’t agree with him becoming the Pakistan Test team head coach because he lacked prior coaching experience and qualifications.
“I didn’t support that appointment. But once you make him the coach, you have to back him. Give him a fair chance before you disrespect him and send him home in the middle of a Test series. It is unacceptable. I feel very sorry for Sarfaraz and Umar Gul because I don’t think they did anything wrong. If the players on the field can’t perform, or if you haven’t selected a team capable of performing, what is a coach supposed to do? Let’s see what Mike Hesson does now,” he added.
Pakistan’s updated squad for the third Test vs England:
Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Fazal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Razaullah, Saad Baig (wk), Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah
