Pakistan team Manager calls Shahid Afridi a ‘useless’ captain

Shahid Afridi has been taking flak from all quarters after Pakistan was unceremoniously dumped from the World T20 2016 in the group stages, winning just 1 match one of four matches. They were beaten by Australia, New Zealand, and India and won only against Bangladesh in the group matches.

Their biggest loss came against arch-rivals India, a match that Pakistan hates to lose and the spirit from the players seemed missing and Afridi’s uninspiring captaincy didn’t help either. Even the Pakistan team manager Intikhab Alam has reportedly branded Afridi’s captaincy as clueless in the report sent to the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Intikhab’s report can have severe implications on Pakistan team’s setup after coach Waqar Younis submitted an equally hard worded and honest report to the board and offered to resign from the post of coach. Intikhab said in his report that, “The recent Asia Cup and the ICC World T20 have made it evident that we have critical gaps both in batting and bowling, and our fielding keeps on leaking runs, thus releasing pressure. In bowling, with the exception of Mohammad Amir, we do not have a bowler who can win us matches. Our death bowling also is way below par. And the same goes with our batting line-up, where we do not have reliable pinch hitters and the top and power hitter to clinch us games.”

He said that captain Afridi was in his farewell tournament after a career spanning 20 years, but had no idea about the on-field tactics and how to lead his team under pressure. Some of Afridi’s decisions raised eyebrows like promoting himself to no.3 against India in the Asia Cup instead of Mohammad Hafeez.

Intikhab Alam recommended some suggestions for the betterment of the team in his report:

– Strict selection criteria must be formulated, with a marks scale for each (such as form, statistical record, ability to adapt and being a team player).

– In order to improve fitness, the free period between now and the England tour should be used for a training camp to improve fitness and fielding.

Intikhab also said that the team was involved in two needless controversies with the first one being Afridi’s more love in India than Pakistan comment and the other being Umar Akmal’s complaint to Imran Khan about his batting position. His report also gave special mention to Pakistan’s game against India which he said that Pakistan lost due to rain interrupting the match and turning a batting pitch into a turning pitch.

Alam also criticized the field placing employed by Afridi in defending a modest total against India for spinners, especially Shoaib Malik, who was bowling a good spell and looked like picking a wicket. He also said that not promoting Sarfraz Ahmed was a critical misjudgment and waste of his talents.

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