Shan Masood deserves a minimum of two-year stint as captain

By Ahad Masood ‘Bobby’ in USA

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The newly appointed captain of the national Test team, Shan Masood, should not be dumped even if Pakistan gets whitewashed in the upcoming three-match series in Australia. The world champions are overwhelming favourites to make a clean sweep in view of their own strength as well as the dismal Test record which Pakistan has had in Australia. 

Blooding Shan directly as a captain for such a demanding tour seems to be a hasty decision. Hopefully he would not be assessed on the basis of just one series and the decision-makers will be acting in national interest if let him lead the team until the end of the current cycle of World Test Championship which will continue for another two years. He could be given a longer stint, depending on performance.

Despite the criticism over Babar Azam’s captaincy, following the debacle in the Asia Cup followed by the World Cup, he could have been asked to skipper the team for Test series in Australia and also the T20I series in New Zealand. 

Alternatively, when they have brought Sarfaraz Ahmed back in their frame, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should have reappointed him as the captain in all three formats for at least next one year. Ideally, Shan should have been posted as vice-captain to either Babar or Sarfaraz before taking up the national captaincy. 

But, as we have often witnessed in the past, authorities pressed the panic button after the recently concluded World Cup just as they have done four years ago when Sarfaraz was removed unceremoniously. 

It’s a pity that captains are deposed in such haste. Pakistan, in the recent past in particular, has lacked in initiating the process of grooming captains by picking up the potential candidates as captains. 

Misbah-ul-Haq, the most successful Test captain, had innumerable vice-captains during his tenure while there was none when Sarfaraz was leading the side. There was no clarity of thought even in the era of Babar when sometimes Mohammad Rizwan was given the job before passing on the baton to Shadab Khan. 

Shan also had a brief stint as vice-captain during the home series against New Zealand but Babar, for reasons best known to himself, was not prepared to pick his deputy in the playing eleven which was indeed well and truly disrespectful. 

Shan is an educated youngster who has the experience of leading Multan Sultan in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) besides captaining the county of Yorkshire in England. A prolific left-handed opening batsman, who can shift gears whenever needed. He seems to be having the capacity to lead by example. 

The PCB would have been better off handing over captaincy across formats to him instead of just Test matches. He may still be asked to lead the ODI side as they haven’t made the announcement in this regard yet. 

The enigmatic Pakistan squad, short of confidence, will be tested on both the tours of Australia as well as New Zealand where the conditions would be entirely different to what these guys encountered at home. They didn’t perform consistently against these two sides even in own backyard last season. Hopefully they would do better this time to pose serious challenge to the hosts Down Under.

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Younis, Sarfaraz face discrimination from PCB once more

By Naeem-ul-Haq in USA 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), seemingly as a part of its promotions ahead of the upcoming Cricket World Cup 2023, compiled and released a video, showcasing the high moments in history on the eve of the 76th Independence Day celebrations. Its contents have already resulted in causing lots of resentment and controversies. 

Initially the PCB was slammed for ignoring Imran Khan, the triumphant skipper of the World Cup 1992. Since he is a former Prime Minister besides being one of the greatest-ever all-rounders of the game, with a huge fan following globally, there was uproar and criticism from every nook and corner of the world. 

Omitting the World Cup winning captain on political grounds was indeed shameful and the PCB was forced to edit the video and release a new one which included his images. But a couple of more glaring omissions have not been rectified yet, which is very disappointing for those who love the game the most earnestly. 

How could the history of Pakistan cricket remain complete without mentioning the accomplishments of Younis Khan and Sarfaraz Ahmed? Yet they have been deprived of this honour of featuring in the video highlighting Pakistan’s conquests in the cricket field. Younis, as we all know, is the only other World Cup winning captain of Pakistan.

If Imran was the skipper of the team which brought home the title in 1992 it was Younis, under whose leadership, Pakistan had won the World Twenty20 Championship in 2009. Isn’t it strange that one World Cup winner becomes the Prime Minister of the country and the other one is denied the kind of respect and recognition he deserves?

Younis holds national records for the highest number of Test runs as well as centuries. He won numerous matches for the country. He led the team with distinction. But he was victimized in his playing days and the same trend has continued all along. Since he is brutally honest and straightforward, who always believed in let his bat to do all the talking, he has often been sidelined from limelight. Those in the corridors of power have generally been reluctant to interact with him because he takes pride in calling a spade a spade. 

Sarfaraz has also been meted out step-motherly treatment all along despite having exceptional record both as a player and as a captain of the national team. He had led the country to title victory in the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017. Earlier he was also the captain of the Pakistan team which annexed the ICC Youth World Cup. 

Pakistan remained the top ranked team in T20 rankings for two and a half years when Sarfaraz, an enterprising wicketkeeper-batsman, was at the helm of the affairs. He is credited to have blooded and groomed the youngsters like Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Khan Afridi and Fakhar Zaman who have gone on to become world-class performers. 

Both Younis and Sarfaraz have done wonders for the country, Any documentary of Pakistan cricket will be deemed incomplete without their mention. The PCB must re-edit the video to include both of them because they deserve to be there. The heroes are meant to be respected and admired, not humiliated or insulted.

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Sarfaraz Ahmed merits ODI selection after phenomenal Test comeback

By Naeem-ul-Haq in USA 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

It’s an open secret that Sarfaraz Ahmed has had to battle harder than normal cricketers in any part of the world to retain his place in the national team across formats. Despite having exceptional track record he has been forced to prove his worth time and again. This boy of steely nerves from Karachi deserves to be praised lavishly for having silenced his critics with performances more than once in his international career. 

After his fairytale comeback in the Test arena only a few months ago it was logical to have him in the limited overs matches as well, particularly One-day Internationals where accomplished batsmen like him are more likely to deliver than dashers or power hitters. Not surprisingly, he is being treated harshly once more. 

It’s mind-boggling to find his name still missing in the scheme of things for the ODI line-up. The kind of awesome form and fitness he displayed in the Test series against New Zealand had made him an automatic choice for the ODIs but for some strange reasons, which include petty politics, he was been kept on the sidelines once more. 

It will be fair to say that Sarfaraz, having the scores of 86, 53, 78 and 118 in four successive innings, was chiefly responsible for saving the two-Test home series against New Zealand. He was adjudged Man of the Match in the second Test and was also the unanimous choice for Man of the Series award. What more could have he done in his comeback series? 

He was scoring consistently in first-class cricket all along and yet he was kept out of the Test side for four years which can only be described as madness and nothing else. Quite remarkably Waqar Younis, as evidenced by his comments on air, was still not impressed with the accomplishments of the guy he had tormented or even victimized when he was the national coach. 

He was the man, alongwith skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, to have prevented him from playing in the early part of the 2015 World Cup. Sarfaraz was kept out of the playing eleven and it had needed the intervention of the then PCB chief, Shaharyar Khan, to get him in. The rest is history as we all know. 

Now another lobby with vested interests seems proactive in creating more hurdles for Sarfaraz to demoralize him. With the 2023 World Cup not very far away, these elements will be eager to keep him away from the squad. It is upto the PCB top brass to ensure fair chance to the man who made them proud with outstanding performance on Test return not very long ago. 

With Micky Arthur returning, there’s greater hope of justice being done with Sarfaraz as he definitely merits selection in the ODI outfit and should be a part and parcel of the squad for the next couple of years at least. His expertise and experience are too precious to be ignored. 

It’s a sheer nonsense to suggest that only one wicketkeeper-batsman can be a part of the playing eleven. Many teams are having more than one such all-rounder and they are getting the results. Therefore keeping Sarfaraz out of the team on the pretext of having someone else around for the same role makes no sense. He should be in the ODI team. No question about it.

Sarfaraz is very much needed in the Pakistan XI because he has mastered the art of accumulating runs. He remains an exceptional wicketkeeper whose batting prowess is the much-needed insurance for the national team which has often struggled in putting runs on the board.

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Shoaib, Imad, Sarfaraz axed for West Indian series

By Ehsan Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The vastly experienced trio of Shoaib Malik, Imad Wasim and Sarfaraz Ahmed has been dropped while fast bowler Hasan Ali is being rested for the upcoming home series against the West Indies starting at National Stadium Karachi from December 13. 

The Pakistan cricket selectors' panel, headed by Mohammad Wasim, has surprised many with some of the choices for the T20I and ODI squads which will be taking on the West Indies later this month. 

From the 18 players who were part of the recently-concluded T20I series against Bangladesh, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik have been left out while fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain has been added to the 15-man squad for the T20Is. 

Likewise, from the 17 players who were available for selection for the England ODIs in July, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah and Mohammad Wasim Junior have replaced Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Salman Ali Agha and Sarfaraz Ahmed in the 17-member side, while Abdullah Shafique has been named as a traveling reserve.

“As we have been playing T20Is since October and now have a pretty settled and balanced side, we have decided to reduce the number of players to 15. As such, we have not included Imad Wasim, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik,” chief selector Wasim explained. 

“For the ODIs, which we last played in July, we have accepted the team management’s request and provided them two additional resources,” he added. 

Pakistan’s T20I squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir. 

Pakistan’s ODI squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Hasnain, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir. Traveling reserve: Abdullah Shafique.

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Sarfaraz Ahmed: Scapegoat or good luck omen?

By Naeem-ul-Haq in USA

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Pakistan cricket authorities have devised a unique strategy to tackle Sarfaraz Ahmed. The former all-format captain and a wicketkeeper-batsman, is allowed to play only when the series or the prestige is at stake and they’re being subjected to extreme criticism by media and experts over selection follies. 

This has happened for three series now. In England last summer, there was great uproar when Pakistan had lost the first couple of games and he was played in the third and final outing which Pakistan went on to win. 

The series against South Africa was hanging in balance when Sarfraz was blooded in the decisive third encounter which Pakistan managed to win and the most recently the T20 series against Zimbabwe was also locked at one-all when he was finally chosen for the do-or-die third fixture which was won by Pakistan again. 

Interestingly Sarfaraz has been drafted in the playing eleven only upon the hue and cry in media and public in general. 

Obviously the cricket-loving Pakistanis get upset when the team starts losing and the selectors and the tour management committee were left with no option to play Sarfaraz to silence their critics.

It’s an open secret that the present set-up is not fond of Sarfaraz. Head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis have had history of victimizing him even when he was at the peak of his career. How can they be expected to support him at a time when he needed care and understanding to overcome a lean patch? 

Let me remind both these gentlemen, still holding key positions despite their controversial tenure that Sarfaraz, even today, deserves to be in the playing eleven in all three formats if merit is the sole criterion for selection. He has better strike-rate than every Pakistani batsman other than Babar Azam. 

There’s absolutely no problem in picking him automatically for the white-ball outfits. Many of the international teams are fielding more than one wicketkeeper-batsman in their playing eleven these days. Australia, England, India and Sri Lanka in particular are doing it most frequently. 

Therefore hell will not break loose if Pakistan also engages two wicketkeeper-batsmen in their line-up since they are good enough to make the cut. 

Muhammad Rizwan, who has been supported generously and extravagantly by the powers that be in an effort to displace Sarfaraz by hook or by crook, has become the darling of the Pakistani commentators and former Test cricketers. These same guys were playing similar tune when Sarfaraz was at the peak of his career not very long ago. 

Coming to selection matters, it’s really mind boggling to find Asif Ali and Haider Ali such an extended run at the international stage after so many failures. If the policy is not corrected and the current Pakistan team is not altered then I don’t see them going anywhere in the World T20 Championship due to be held later this year. Changes are needed and time is fast running out. The concerned authorities will be advised to take remedial actions rather than using their energies in counterproductive pursuits.

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Misbah led team of centurions; Sarfaraz had to contend with failing prodigies

By Naeem-ul-Haq in USA 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Comparisons are drawn often between Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfaraz Ahmed as captains of the Pakistan team and a few so-called pundits and pseudo experts try to glorify the achievements of Misbah and they purposely undermine the accomplishments of Sarfaraz. They are guilty of either twisting the facts or presenting only the half-truth. 

Now let me shed light on some the facts which are not highlighted or even discussed publicly. In other words let me try to bring to light the hidden half-truth. Misbah and Sarfaraz captained the national cricket team in different eras and the circumstances were dissimilar. 

While Misbah was extended maximum possible support by the ‘establishment’ of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Sarfaraz’s leg was being continuously pulled by the movers and shakers of our system. 

When Misbah was leading the Test team in particular, the players were mostly kept in a relaxed frame of mind and the batsmen in particular benefitted a lot with the peaceful mental state of theirs. 

Misbah himself amassed runs and centuries prolifically while ace batsman Younis Khan stroked century after century and the likes of Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Muhammad Hafeez and even Sarfraz literally made centuries at will. 

The scenario changed altogether from the moment Sarfaraz took over. Younis and Misbah had retired leaving a big hole in the batting line-up. 

Then uncertainties were allowed to flourish as a result of which runs and centuries dried from the bat of those who were supposed to take up the responsibility and rise to the occasion. Asad and Azhar became pedestrian as batters while the newcomers, drafted in to replace the retiring greats, took their own time in settling down. 

In this transition period Pakistan’s batting became mediocre to say the least and even Sarfaraz was unable to cope with the mounting pressure in Test matches. 

During the tenure of Misbah there were tons of centuries scored by the Pakistan batsmen in the Test arena while in the times of Sarfaraz there were literally none. 

When you don’t have adequate runs to play with how could you be expected to win a Test match no matter how resourceful you may be in the bowling department. Babar Azam, who has now blossomed into one of the best modern-day batsmen, was also found struggling for runs in Test matches in the period when Sarfaraz was leading the forces. 

Therefore Misbah was in hugely advantageous position when captaining the Test side than Sarfaraz who didn’t get the desired runs from his batters and it reflected in the results too. 

The wicketkeeper-batsman, however, made amends for his own shortfall of Test runs and centuries as well as of his more established batsmen in his side, by leading the team by example in limited overs formats which, for some reasons, has seldom been mentioned by those who derive pleasure by highlighting every chink in his armour. 

Why do people are not reminded that Sarfaraz remains the only Pakistani captain to have brought home more than one ICC trophy? Under him, Pakistan triumphed in the ICC Under-19 World Cup as well as the ICC Champions Trophy. 

Why do his critics fail to remember that Pakistan remained the top ranked team in T20 Internationals for a couple of years when he was calling the shots?

Sarfaraz’s own batting strike rate in Tests and One-day Internationals, despite every criticism and eyebrows, remains much better than many of his illustrious contemporaries.

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Sarfaraz Ahmed deserves to be in Pakistan team

By Naeem-ul-Haq in USA
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Isn’t it a pity that Pakistan’s cricket team, currently undertaking a tour of England, doesn’t contain the man who had led them to their greatest glory of recent times just three summers ago?

Yes you got it right. Indeed I am talking about Sarfaraz Ahmed, the dashing wicketkeeper-batsman, who had proved himself a very able captain in all three formats.

The conspirators succeeded in getting him axed from captaincy as well as got him omitted from the team. It was a politically motivated move to sack him after being whitewashed at the hands of Sri Lanka in a home series.

Sarfaraz’s exit from the scene was not unexpected, if one happened to know behind the scene affairs that had been going on for quite some time.

It was politicking of the highest order which finally resulted in his ouster. Don’t forget that Sarfaraz had kept Pakistan as the top ranked team in T20 Internationals for more than two years and yet he was robbed of the T20 captaincy.

He had led Pakistan to come from behind title victory against all odds in the 2017 Champions Trophy in England. Yet his head was chopped for ODI format as well. He was not spared from the Test side either.

It’s an open secret that Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis have had their issues with Sarfraz for a long time, more on non-cricketing basis.

Together they had attempted to victimize during the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand but Sarfaraz had silenced the captain and the coach, besides his other critics, with terrific performance.

Sarfaraz was made the captain of the Pakistan team on merit and he flourished in the role at the strength of his monumental efforts.

There were lobbies at work to derail him but he was strong enough mentally and emotionally to overcome the in-house challenges as judiciously as those thrown at him by the opponents in the field.

He continued fighting and didn’t let the additional pressures get the better of him. Occasionally he did falter, like most of his teammates, but he always led from the front and played in the interest of the team.

It was really a sad day for Pakistan cricket when he was shown the door on the basis of just one ordinary series, in which he personally had tried his level best to prevent the outcome. It was a wicked move by the forces having compromised on the national interest to satisfy their personal egos. Sarfaraz is still young and raring to go again. He can easily walk into the Pakistan side in all three formats at the strength of his skills and experience.

Muhammad Rizwan, no doubt, is an emerging wicketkeeper-batsman having shown the promise but Sarfaraz stands taller in pedigree and he could prove an asset for the team in the trying English conditions.

The Pakistan think-tank will be better advised to make decisions in the larger national interest rather than at the whims of the people with vested interests. Sarfaraz is due for a comeback. The sooner it’s done, better it will be for the cause of Pakistan cricket.

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Younis Khan could become interim Pakistan Test captain

By Naeem-ul-Haq

With Misbah-ul-Haq uncertain about his future as the Pakistan Test captain, following a dismal run soon after claiming the number one slot in the world last year, there are strong enough indications of change of guard down the road. 

Wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed, who has been leading the national team in the shortest format of the game (Twenty20 Internationals), has recently also been appointed the skipper for the One-day Internationals, replacing the under-fire Azhar Ali, who prudently chose to resign instead of waiting to be axed. 

With Sarfaraz having shown the aggression as well as the enterprise when captaining the side in the opportunities having come his way so far in the limited overs matches, he remains untested for the longest format of the game.

There are many people who consider him as the natural choice to lead the national team at the Test level whenever Misbah’s tenure is over. Yet there are a few heads who desire Sarfaraz not to be fast-tracked into the role which could jeopardize his own future as well as that of the national team. 

I also reckon that it would be wiser to let Sarfaraz do an apprenticeship before being thrust into the most challenging role of his career. 

If he fails to deliver as a Test captain at this stage this could hurt him in the limited overs formats as well and Pakistan could be struggling to find another capable leader. 

While Misbah’s days, by his own admission, seem numbered in the Test arena, the selectors can turn towards Younis Khan, the greatest-ever batsman produced by Pakistan, to lead the Test team in the period when Sarfaraz could be groomed as his successor. 

Younis as captain and Sarfaraz as vice-captain could become win-win situation for Pakistan in Tests. Both of them are at the peak of their careers and together they can work wonders for the country.

Younis has a proven record both as a batsman as well as a captain. His records are far too impressive to ignore by any stretch of imagination. 

In fact he has been very harshly treated on most occasions despite his accomplishments. It’s never too late and too little to make amends. He is only 39 at the moment. He is among the fittest guys on the park. 

He still has a lot to offer to Pakistan cricket, if allowed to do it. He has the capacity to turn it around. 

With Misbah’s retirement a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ the powers that be have a great option in Younis. Reappointing him as the Test skipper at this point of time will have multiple benefits. 

While the functionaries of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have often been accused of hitting headlines for the wrong reasons, here’s an opening for them to undo some of the sins of the past. 

They will be hailed as the saviours of Pakistan cricket if they decide to bring in Younis as the Test captain and also give him an extended run to let him fire on all cylinders. He still has the energy and the burning desire to make things happen.

He may not be the show boy in the cricket field but he is certainly the most strong-willed person one could think of. He has proved his mettle every single time he has gone on to bat.

He has remained an outstanding fielder all along, having plucked a record number of catches. Wherever standing, he's a source of inspiration for the whole team.

Younis has been subjected to the toughest of pressures at all times. The most brutal treatment was meted out to him by the regime of Ijaz Butt which kept him out of the team for a year and and a half.

He not only has had to bring all his skills into play to negotiate and dominate the most fearsome bowling attacks of the world but he also had to deliver with a sword hanging around him all along. 

It’s indeed shameful that a batsman of his caliber, who has phenomenal Test record against all opponents, has been put under trial more often than not. 

Instead of getting the due recognition from his own country’s administrators he has had to engage in uncalled for battles. Just look at his numbers. He is only 23 runs away from becoming the first Pakistani batsman to reach the milestone of 10,000 Test runs. 

He has already scored 34 Test centuries, which is Pakistan’s highest. He can be proud of his average of 53.06 after 116 Tests in 17 years. What else could have been asked from this man? 

He has all the major Test records for Pakistan under his belt. He has delivered all over the world, having scored heaps of runs in every continent. He has withstood the fastest bowlers of the world fearlessly. He has been equally proficient in taming the best spinners in the planet. 

Yet Younis, a gentleman by nature, has never been accorded the respect he deserved in Pakistan. There has been politicking and all sorts of nuisance to curtail his advancement. Give credit to this man to have weathered the storm with a smile on his face, most of the time. 

Obviously he’s a human being and sometimes he has reacted bitterly to the senseless campaign to malign him. He has always believed in letting his bat to do the talking and he has been successful in silencing his critics by scoring heavily. 

He was the man who brought glories for the country as Pakistan had won the ICC World Twenty20 Championship in 2009 under his captaincy in England. It’s the only time Pakistan has got hold of this crown. 

Despite bringing home the trophy, Younis faced more criticism at home rather than praise which was mind-boggling and unfortunate. The hero was being treated as a villain for reasons that defied logic. 

He has been at the receiving end in the battles between the various groups surrounding the PCB and he has only survived due to the weight of runs he scored. 

Needless to say, Younis has been blessed with nerves of steel. He can handle the bowlers of all kinds and he can also absorb the pressures from different corners. It’s rare to find a man possessing so much mental toughness as him. 

If better sense prevails and the PCB is prepared to look beyond its club, Younis is ready for another stint as the Pakistan captain. With Sarfaraz waiting in the wings, and sharing responsibilities as the vice-captain, Pakistan could become a force to reckon with in Tests once more.

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