eSports Log

Abdul Qadir has vilified the selection committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for excluding experienced and qualified all-rounder Abdul Razzaq from the ICC Champions Trophy 2009 squad. Qadir was former chief selector of PCB. Additionally, he condemned the committee’s choice to disregard opening batsman Salman Butt for the tournament.

Qadir told: “I don’t know in what direction this present cricket board is taking Pakistan cricket into. There is no consistency in selection at all. Salman is your most experienced opener with an average of close to 40 in Tests and one-day internationals.Yet the selectors have ignored him for such a big tournament and instead opted for only one specialist opener in Imran Nazir.” He said: “If the board and selectors didn’t want to pick Razzaq for a major tournament like the Champions Trophy then why send him to Sri Lanka or England for the T20 World Cup in the first place.” He added: “I don’t understand what was the hurry of picking Asif when he has not played for over a year. The pace department is already strong with Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamir, Rao Iftikhar and Rana Naved bowling well. So what was the point in rushing Asif into the main fray.”

The former chief selector expressed wonder at the omission of all-rounder Razzaq, as Razzaq had played well in the last ICC World Twenty20 Championship, and the all-rounder did satisfactory performance during the Sri Lanka tour.