Karachi: Pakistan’s former captain Javed Miandad slammed the national team and questioned the current T20 captain Shahid Afridi’s place in it.
“How can you have a player who no one knows how he will perform? Afridi’s place in the team was over few years back,” Miandad told Aaj channel.
The Pakistan great added: “How can you expect to win or improve your cricket when a player who stopped being a reliable performer some years ago is still playing in the national team? He is captain.”
Miandad said he sees a bleak future for Pakistan cricket since the domestic circuit is not producing quality talent; it’s full of nepotism and favouritism.
“You still have parchi [slip] system in domestic cricket even at district level. It only looks good on [the] surface, but in reality it is not producing quality players.”
Miandad said the board was responsible for all appointments. “Don’t they know what is happening? Don’t they see what is happening to our cricket? I say sack this selection committee and players who don’t perform. Nowadays we have a trend where players play because of the media,” he said.
Miandad, a former coach of the national team, said someone like Indian cricketer Virat Kohli is successful in at least 70 to 80 per cent of his 100 innings; in contrast, Pakistan players are consistent in only 20 to 30 per cent of their 100 innings. “The fact is many of our players lack cricket sense and aptitude. They are over-protected. They are saying Pakistan Super League (PSL) will produce talent. I didn’t see any player in the PSL who is so good that he can get a contract in the Big Bash or IPL [Indian Premier League],” Miandad said.
The former great said the continuous defeats to India are disappointing as there was a time when Pakistan used to beat their arch-rival often.
