LAHORE: Former Pakistan Test cricketer Aamir Malik has said that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt is responsible for downfall of Pakistan cricket. Talking to Deustsche Welle Radio on Wednesday, Aamir said that due to negligence of the PCB the game was dying at the grassroots and club levels. “This is the reason why Pakistan team is struggling. The present Pakistan team has no quality batsman apart from Mohammad Yousuf and the national selectors have no choice other than selecting incompetent batsmen for Test cricket,” he added.
Aamir, who scored back-to-back Test centuries against India in 1989, said Ijaz was responsible for the crisis being faced by cricket in the country. “When a head of any organisation have all the powers and money like Ijaz is enjoying than there is no excuse for consistent failures.” He said Ijaz had decorated the top floor of PCB headquarters with big names like Javed Minadad and Wasim Bari but the base was empty and hollow.
Commenting on Pakistan’s recent dismal performance in England, Aamir said without Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan it was written on the wall. Without naming Sohaib Malik and Shahid Afridi, Aamir said when the selection committee includes those players in the Test team, who became batsman after starting their career as spin bowlers one could only expect failure. “It is a big joke for Pakistan cricket.” He said the present team had services of some incompetent batsmen who can’t help to cross 200-mark in a Test match. 47-year-old Aamir, who played 14 Tests and 24 one-day internationals, said one should not blame the coaches for the team’s failures in England. “Waqar Younus and other coaches can only point out shortcomings of the players. It is players’ responsibility to learn and overcome as quickly as possible because they are professional and being paid. Cricket is a situational game and you have to adjust according to different situations and conditions. A coach can not bat or bowl or field.”
Aamir dispelled the impression that the Pakistan batsmen were not scoring in England because there was no home series available to them. “Many of the present lot have been playing for Pakistan for the last over ten years. They have also played many home series as well. But still history is against them because they are not quality players.” To a question regarding new players, Aamir said that Azhar Ali and Umar Amin are young and one should not expect too much from them in most difficult seaming conditions. “But I believe they have good future,” he concluded.
Aamir, who scored back-to-back Test centuries against India in 1989, said Ijaz was responsible for the crisis being faced by cricket in the country. “When a head of any organisation have all the powers and money like Ijaz is enjoying than there is no excuse for consistent failures.” He said Ijaz had decorated the top floor of PCB headquarters with big names like Javed Minadad and Wasim Bari but the base was empty and hollow.
Commenting on Pakistan’s recent dismal performance in England, Aamir said without Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan it was written on the wall. Without naming Sohaib Malik and Shahid Afridi, Aamir said when the selection committee includes those players in the Test team, who became batsman after starting their career as spin bowlers one could only expect failure. “It is a big joke for Pakistan cricket.” He said the present team had services of some incompetent batsmen who can’t help to cross 200-mark in a Test match. 47-year-old Aamir, who played 14 Tests and 24 one-day internationals, said one should not blame the coaches for the team’s failures in England. “Waqar Younus and other coaches can only point out shortcomings of the players. It is players’ responsibility to learn and overcome as quickly as possible because they are professional and being paid. Cricket is a situational game and you have to adjust according to different situations and conditions. A coach can not bat or bowl or field.”
Aamir dispelled the impression that the Pakistan batsmen were not scoring in England because there was no home series available to them. “Many of the present lot have been playing for Pakistan for the last over ten years. They have also played many home series as well. But still history is against them because they are not quality players.” To a question regarding new players, Aamir said that Azhar Ali and Umar Amin are young and one should not expect too much from them in most difficult seaming conditions. “But I believe they have good future,” he concluded.
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