Pakistan’s debacle in the limited-over tour of New Zealand, which ended on Saturday, attracted strong criticism from former cricketers and fans, with batting great Javed Miandad calling for “sidelining” of players and officials who have not given 100 per cent to the team’s cause. New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 43 runs in the third and final ODI at Mount Maunganui on Saturday for a 3-0 clean sweep in the 50-over series. Pakistan had lost the preceding five-match T20I series 1-4, thereby winning just one match in the whole limited-over tour.
Reacting to the abject surrender of the team, former captain and batting legend Miandad said the players, team officials and those in the authority should be made accountable.
“Some sensible decisions need to be made and once they are made the board needs to stick to them on a long term basis. Any player or official not willing to give more than 100 percent for the team needs to be sidelined,” he said.
“At the same time, those who make the appointments and final calls in cricket matters also need to be held accountable.” Former Test captain and chief selector Inzamam ul Haq said he had never seen Pakistan struggle so badly in New Zealand.
“The problems we have seen are not just about our batting, the bowlers have also not come through for a while now whereas in the past bowling was always our strength,” he said.
Pakistan Test vice-captain Saud Shakeel urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to appoint a permanent head coach and other staff for the national team.
The Pakistan team has had an interim head coach in both red ball and white ball formats since last December after Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillispie resigned, citing issues over authority and decision making with the PCB.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi appointed senior selector Aaqib Javed to manage the team as interim head coach.
Another former captain Rashid Latif said the results of the matches in New Zealand indicated the players had lost the will to give their best.
“The team has been beaten soundly, but is our team/players that bad? I don’t think so, this same combination won ODI series in Australia and South Africa a few months back.
“I think the disappointment of the Champions Trophy at home has mentally upset the players,” Latif said.
The rout in New Zealand also attracted backlash from the fans on social media.
One fan tweeted that while other teams had 3-4 tail-end batters, it appeared that the Pakistan team had 11 tail-end batters.
Another fan advised the team to focus on playing weak teams like Hong Kong, Nepal, Canada.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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