Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been on the receiving end since the announcement of the squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. Skipper Babar Azam, pacer Shaheen Afridi, wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan are among few first-choice players, who will be missing the T20I series against Afghanistan and the PCB has been criticised by fans and former cricketers alike for giving rest to the star players from international series after featuring in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif blasted the board and the selectors for resting the players when they have started to feature in ICC rankings and winning awards. Rashid said that the 70-80-year olds , who are at the helm of the PCB are deciding who should take rest or not saying that this is the first step to destroying the national side.
“Our players are featuring in ICC rankings and winning awards after a long time. Babar and Shaheen won ICC awards. They [PCB] couldn’t digest it. They said we won’t let it happen and now we are here and will take decisions. Those who never took rest and are 70 or 80 years old and need to rest, are now deciding the fate of Pakistan cricket. You can say rest in peace Pakistan team. Our team is now resting in peace,” Latif was as quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
PCB selected a whole new set of players on the basis of the performances in the ongoing PSL while the veteran Imad Wasim, who has been outstanding with both bat and ball for Karachi Kings too earned a recall. Latif said that when the new players come in, a combination in broken and if some of them perform well and when the star players return, it leads to a chaos.
“When you bring new players, you break a team combination. Some new players, who are selected, will perform in the Afghanistan series, so will they bring back the senior players back with lesser strike rate. Media will also put pressure on them. This is the first step towards destroying Pakistan team,” he further said.
Pakistan will take on Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series in Sharjah starting March 25.
Pakistan squad for Afghanistan series: Shadab Khan (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir, Zaman Khan.
Reserve players: Abrar Ahmed, Haseebullah and Usama Mir
