Have never seen a more selfish and coward captain than Misbah: Shoaib Akhtar

The Pakistan cricket community has lashed out at the national team for its humiliating defeat against the West Indies in the World Cup match with former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar calling captain Misbah-ul-Haq “coward and selfish”. Pakistan’s defeat by 150 runs to the Windies has not gone down too well and with the exception of former captain Javed Miandad, who still reposed confidence in the battered team, others criticised the team. Most of the former players demanded that the existing team management including chief selector Moin Khan and head coach Waqar Younis be sacked immediately while others wanted a complete reshuffle in the cricket board itself. [caption id=“attachment_2113861” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Misbah walks back after being dismissed during the match against West Indies. AFP[/caption] “I have been saying this for a long time we are heading for disaster. I have never seen a more selfish and coward captain like Misbah,” Akhtar ranted on Geo News channel. “When he knows the chips are down and the team needs an inspirational leader, why couldn’t he (Misbah) come up the order and also protect Younis (Khan) and others by batting at number three,” he asked. “Misbah has always been a selfish player and he is satisfied with his own runs but the team comes second.” Akhtar also said that the team needed to undergo a reshuffle after the World Cup and pleaded with the Pakistan Cricket Board to not make anymore excuses. Former Pakistan Test spinner Saqlain Mushtaq had no doubt the team had let the nation down with their disappointing performances in the World Cup. “The whole nation feels let down and is understandably angry. You don’t expect such unprofessional decisions from a professional management,” he said. Pakistan’s former Test captain and senior batsman Muhammad Yousuf said that he couldn’t understand why the tour selectors had not played leg spinner Yasir Shah against the West Indies. “It made no sense to me at all knowing we are not good at chasing any total. And I think it is time Younis also decided about his future and withdraw himself,” Yousuf said. Yousuf said the problems plaguing Pakistan cricket were not new and main issue was no one was working on improving the batsmen’s techniques. “They just don’t have the technique to play on such wickets. And to add to the problems the selections made are mind boggling. How can they drop Sarfaraz Ahmed or Yasir Shah?” Former Test spinner Iqbal Qasim also said dropping Yasir was a big mistake. “He played his first match against India in front of a big crowd and in high pressure match and that was his test. He was now ready to be tested out against other teams and I am sure he would have done well. You can’t play with just four proper bowlers in ODIs nowadays, specially in absence of good allrounders,” said Qasim. Former Test captain Rashid Latif said the World Cup was still not over but the team management and captain needed to review their selections and methods on the field. “It remained a slow pitch against the West Indies and yet the two best bowlers, Sohail Khan and Wahab Riaz were made to bowl into the wind. Not playing Yasir and persisting with Younis up the order and playing Nasir Jamshed were blunders,” he said. However, Miandad expressed confidence of Pakistan team making a comeback in the World once they have a good game. “I think this Pakistan team needs to get its combination right and just one good win to find its momentum in the World Cup,” Miandad said. PTI