LAHORE – The Pakistan Cricket Board’s tough players’ policy is preventing the national team members from expressing their views on the game. PCB chairman Ijaz Butt, who is expected back from New Zealand late on February 4, will be announcing the captain the following day. It has been learnt that Shahid Afridi has been retained as captain of the team.
The captaincy issue has been a hot debate since the PCB named the team without naming any player for the job. And after Waqar Younis was reprimanded by the PCB, the players are feeling threatened of any disciplinary action if they spoke anything in open. In the meantime, the management of the PCB has asked Shahid Afridi to improve his relations with the senior players, who voted against his captaincy.
The captaincy row has not only created confusion within Pakistan ranks but has also created tense atmosphere within the dressing room. Misbah has silently stood firm with his performance and let his bat do the talking while Afridi threw his wicket at the time when the team required him the most.
However, it has been learnt the PCB chairman has received the support of some of the senior players like Younus Khan and Abdul Razzak in favour of Afridi while Waqar and manager Intikhab Alam also put their weight behind Afridi. Most people feel that Afridi’s naturally aggressive style makes him perfect choice over Misbah.
But consistence performance from Misbah has brought him in debate for captaincy. But the point is if Afridi was to be retained captain then why the PCB created all this controversy at a time when the team needed to come together and work as a unit. The players should be focusing not only as individuals, but as a team if they are to make their presence felt in the upcoming World Cup.
