Former Test paceman Sarfraz Nawaz has advised chief selector Mohsin Khan and Shahid Afridi to step down following in the footsteps of Sri Lankan selection committee, captain Kumar Sangakkara and vice captain Mahela Jayawardene, who resigned from their respective posts after losing the World Cup final against India.
“Accepting the defeat in the semi-final and to give a chance to the cricket board to start new planning for the next World Cup, Mohsin and Afridi should resign from their posts,” Sarfraz told Dawn.
“The Sri Lankan selectors and captain announced the resignation despite playing the final just to allow their cricket board to start planning for the next World Cup, but sorry, our selectors and captain have no courage,” he said.
He said both Sangakkara and Jayawardene batted well during the mega event but even then they have cleared the way for youngsters.
He said Afridi could be retained as captain for some time if the PCB had no other option, but adding there was no reason for Mohsin to stay.
Commenting on the announcement of the Pakistan team for T20 and one-day series against the West Indies, Sarfraz said top scorer of these formats, Imran Farhat, who scored 474 runs in the last National One-day Cup, and top fast bowler Mohammad Talha with 21 wickets were not in the team.
Sarfraz claimed that opener Ahmed Shahzad was included in the side after Afridi had threatened PCB chairman and Mohsin Khan that he would quit as captain.
“Shahzad miserably failed in the World Cup, scoring just 44 runs but he has the support of Afridi and got a place in the team,” he said.
He said the West Indies have included new players in their side to face Pakistan as it was the only way to start preparing for the next World Cup.
He said Mohsin announced the team at the pretext of giving chances to youngsters but most of them have crossed the age of 30.
He also questioned the inclusion of Misbah-ul-Haq in the team, despite his pathetic performance against India in the semi-final.
“In fact, Misbah did nothing in the end to turn the defeat into win and at times he failed to show aggression and preferred to draw matches from winning positions.
“I like to ask the chief selector for what purpose Misbah has been included in T20 and one-day teams,” he said.
