'What is our strategy?' - Salman Butt questions Pakistan despite series win over West Indies

Pakistan have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead by winning the second One Day International against the West Indies at the Multan Cricket Stadium on June 10. Despite a comprehensive 120-run victory, former skipper Salman Butt has called out the team management for their vision-less strategy and claimed they have no idea which direction they are heading towards.

Giving clarification on the same, Butt said that the middle-order planning by the team management has been poor. He also questioned them for sending Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan before Khushdil Shah in the last game. Apart from that, the ex-opener also wondered why Mohammad Haris is just in the squad as a specialist middle-order batter and not a wicketkeeper-batter.

Which direction are we heading into?: Salman Butt

“There are certain things that Pakistan can sort out for themselves. Like in the first ODI, Khushdil Shah finished the game brilliantly for Pakistan and won the game for the team and was unbeaten as well. But in the next game, when Pakistan were in trouble, they sent Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan before Khushdil. What are they even doing? What are they even planning?” Butt questioned while interacting on his official YouTube channel.

“Another thing, you are playing Mohammad Haris, but you are not playing him as a wicketkeeper. If he is replacing Sarfaraz then why aren’t you playing him as a wicketkeeper-batsman? If you need him as a middle-order batter then play Shan Masood or Kamran Ghulam. West Indies aren’t posing us any challenges because they have problems of their own. But which direction are we heading into? What is our strategy?” the southpaw wondered.

Coming back to the contest, impressive half-centuries by skipper Babar Azam (77) and opener Imam-ul-Haq (72) propelled Pakistan to a competitive total of 275/8. The West Indies in reply could manage just 155 and were bundled out in the 33rd over. Only Shamarh Brooks (42) and Kyle Mayers (33) could offer resistance with the bat for the visitors. Mohammad Nawaz (4/19) and Mohammad Wasim (3/34) were the picks of the bowlers for the hosts. Both sides will now lock horns in the third and final ODI at the same venue on June 12.