Waqar Younis on Amir and Wahab

I have been critical off Waqar's coaching but the fact is I
personally second his stance on such players' who ditch
the national duty for earning few bucks.

Pakistan's bowling coach Waqar Younis has said that the absence of Steve Smith and David Warner in the Australian Test squad helped India win their first series Down Under in 2018-19. Speaking to the media via video conference, Waqar pointed out the benefit that India has received in the visit, which was not done by him last year when both of them returned to Australia after being banned. For more than 20 years, Pakistan has not won a Test in Australia, which has caused the prestigious Asian team to fail to provide both bat and ball at the same time.

Waqar gave the remarks, "I am not trying to take any credit from India, they played a good game and they are very good." "But yes at the same time when he was successful in Australia, there was no doubt that Australian cricket was going through turmoil and there was trouble in his dressing room. And he was without Steve Smith and David Warner.

"I don't really know why we didn't win the test in all those years. At times, we used to hit the top of the bowling there, but we lost. To me, it's a matter of when the bowling worked. Didn't do enough. Runners scored or when the batsmen scored enough, the bowlers didn't come. "

Waqar also made it clear that the team management had no hesitation in giving up red ball cricket against pacers Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz before the Australian tour last year. In his absence, Pakistan made an inexperienced and unprovoked attack and eventually lost the test. Amir was only 27 years old, Wahab was 34 years old when he withdrew in the test to focus on white ball cricket and he forced the selectors to select Mohammad Abbas, Imran Khan, Naseem Shah, Mohammed and Red Ball. Cricket had taken an indefinite period. Musa and Shaheen Afridi are frontline pacers.

While acknowledging that Aamir and Wahab largely left at the wrong time before the overseas tour, Waqar hopes the pair can still play their part in limited overs cricket. He pointed out, "Right before the Australian series, they contested us and we only had the choice of picking youngsters." "It's not like we lost a lot, but yes they left us at the wrong time. But anyway, they have nothing to do with us. I still feel they have a lot to offer in white ball cricket. Partnership is needed and they should be. Keep playing for Pakistan.

"But we have a lot of fast bowlers now. From PSL, we have seen a lot of potential. There is a lot of potential and everyone is skilled and they all have a future in the near future. The character is not so. They will start to wonder at once. These young boys need to be matched up with experienced boys. You cannot buy the experience overnight. It comes with age - and me. "These young boys are sure to succeed and everyone has the ability to serve Pakistan. For at least eight to ten years."

Acknowledging that the presence of Aamir and Wahab cannot change the entire outcome of the series in Australia, Waqar pointed out that if needed, Pakistan would have a good bench to deal with a similar scenario in the future. There is capacity. "It's not that I'm saying we could win in Australia but we could do better than we did," he said. "But now we have a bench and we are building and expanding it so that we don't have to face any problems moving forward. I know and you know there are many leagues around the world and These guys want to play it. It's just four overs and the money and they have to rest, which sometimes hurts the country. "

With Cricket 19 being a stumbling block due to an outbreak, Waqar wants the players to quit the game and come back fresh. He observed, "This is the time we can still use for good reasons." There is no difference between cricket these days, so it's time for a player to spend time with the family and recharge their bodies. Can use to do. There are also times when you want to get away from the game of cricket and need a break so take some advantage. I like that the boys are challenging each other on social media about fitness and having a good time. "

The 48-year-old also said he was against the idea of ​​resuming cricket anytime, with matches behind closed doors. "I do not agree with the suggestion that cricketing activities should resume soon before empty stadiums," he said. "I think maybe five or six months in a row. When things around the world are in control and we get back to normal in life, we can think of matches behind closed doors. At some point we have to Need to think about the elections but not this month or next month ... the situation is not right for any cricket activity. "

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Hafeez's right part II

Hafeez is usually not very vocal but two times when
I remember, when PCB sport a 'shut-up call' to Hafeez

Muhammad Hafeez had rightly said that country comes first and hence there should be a thin line whether you want to choose 'Extra Talent' over country's dignity and name?

Can it justify to accept other players to share a dressing room with a tainted player who was not playing for the country but for the bookies?

I don't think so nor such exercise should be appreciated, because like I mentioned in previous blog post, it'd motivate other players to go for gaining either by hook-or-by-crook, which is going to haunt Pakistan Cricket both in reputation and the name of PCB and the Pakistan as a nation, which is something a big cost when you wear Pakistan jersey and blazer with Pakistan's emblem.

The Second Incident

After Muhammad Amir's return, Sharjeel was second even where we as a nation were insistent in having him return to the national circuit, which is not a good thing because when same sort of incident occurred more than once, and we're interested in acquiring a 'tainted' player into Pakistan colours.

Having this emblem on our chests is an
honour for us

Where's country name and dignity?

Is it less important than "Extra Talent"? We endorse India in so many aspect, why can't we take inspiration from BCCI who have zero tolerance on such incidence and none could make it to Indian colours although if even the Supreme Court allows a particular player, BCCI wouldn't let such players to make up to wear the 'Bleed Blue Jersey', this should be the stance instead of reclaiming such players again to represent the country.

In a nutshell

In my own point of view, I personally won't allow such players to represent Pakistan, although it is right that human being is not perfect and even the life gives a second chance, I admit but my say is life does give second chance but not as easily as we're giving, and that too at least two times. If they're being given chance, they should be taken into confidence to play for domestic and leagues but representing Pakistan is not justified by any means.

Flurry of Retirements

In the span of two weeks, we have heard about the retirements of two of Pakistani players, for which most of the nation and the social media enthusiasts fought like there is no tomorrow especially without Muhammad Aamir, now we 're seeing how he placed excuse for playing the league cricket preferred over the National Duty.

Look at other bowlers

You're not the only one bowling longer, look at Starc, Bumrah, Cummins, they prefer test cricket over limited over white ball cricket, and unlike the subjected, they'd end up being; if not the greats, but someone at least who showed their motivation that Yes I AM GOING TO DO THIS. This is something lacks in current Pakistani playing team.

What should the PCB be doing to overcome the scenario

Restrict players

The PCB should be restricting cricketers to play the PSL only, with the exception of players be given NOC to play 1 - 2 foreign leagues only who're placed on top tier of the central contract.

The National Duty and Domestic be prioritized

Importance to the Domestic Season be prioritized so that even if Pakistan's domestic season tournament clashes with the foreign league, a player is deemed to play the domestic instead of the foreign league and even if the cricketer takes the instance of retiring and than playing the foreign league, than it'd be with the PCB's NOC, which means PCB won't be backing the player. Same goes with the National Duty because the current trend which the cricketers have figured out; is lethal not only to Pakistan cricket but also to the legacy of Pakistan Cricket.

A Show-Cause Notice

A show-cause be placed for that retaliating player; after taken back all of the benefits/perks/advantages; so that these players should understand that they are not only wearing the emblem of Pointed Star with the word Pakistan written in Urdu, the blazer, but also the hopes and investment of the nation is behind them, therefore they should be asked for the same because this is a legitimate reason, being ambitious and seeking better opportunity is one thing but betraying with the nation and with the rich legacy of Pakistan Cricket is something else. 

The last note

I would quote Mohsin Hassan Khan Sb over here;

Don't play with the country; Play for the country

2015 and Pakistan.

Just like 2014, in 2015 too Pakistan were good in Tests, awful in Colours, just like we say, Pakistan was not able to keep all of its buckets full simultaneously. Though who have been reading me since time, must know that I have more been critical on Pakistan management than to the team because just like us, the working class, they (the cricketers) are also on the payroll of PCB so I usually end up criticizing the PCB.

2015 in a nutshell:

Test Cricket

Following the legacy from 2014, they were good in tests but awful in colours, same was more or less in 2015. Should I say being a fan that in colours it was a monotone year.

Overall figures Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	W/L	Ave	RPO	Inns	HS	LS
Pakistan	8	5	1	0	2	5	41.07	3.44	15	628	138

Pakistan due to most of their staged in South Asia,
were a dominant force in white kits during 2015

Unlike someone stating, Pakistan were clinical in tests, I don't think so because most of the wins Pakistan had were in South Asian conditions, therefore I don't think it was clinical because during games at Sri Lanka the second test when the pitch behaved more sporty, as expected Pakistan lost its plot.

In a nutshell, I'd criticize ICC for not having enough games compared to other full nations in a Calendar Year, remember Pakistan is a full member in ICC.

ODI Cricket:

It was a disastrous year never-the-less Pakistan qualified for the Champions Trophy or not, because consistent performance for me is the key to grow instead of winning one odd game to keep the percentages in your favour to attain a seat in a premier ICC tournament i.e. The Champions Trophy.

Overall figures Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR	W/L	Ave	RPO	Inns	HS	LS
Pakistan	27	12	14	0	1	0.857	33.61	5.34	27	375	160

In ODI's, Pakistan wasn't so called clinical as they were in whites.

As stated, Pakistan were not up to the task in ODI's because of inconsistency and selection of players, Mushtaq Ahmed himself was found saying England series' was the last phase of their 'experimentation', so it all went down the flush.Though Bangladesh improved considerably but still we should also keep our own house intact before losing so miserably to a country like Bangladesh which is still in phase in continual improvement, cuz Bangladesh never did a Kaala Jaadu which didn't allow our players to show continuous fight till last ball, so there is no shame in admitting that the greatest wound we got in ODI during 2015 came against Bangladesh, not because they were awesome but the fact is and will be they exploited Pakistan off their own weaknesses.

T20 Cricket:

Overall figures Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR	W/L	Ave	RPO	Inns	HS	LS
Pakistan	10	6	3	1	0	2	22.25	7.95	10	176	146

Pakistan did well in T20, just like tests because they were consistent in placing the same players and shown their trust on them. The most memorable one was probably the third T20I at Colombo where initially Umar Akmal, solidified by Afridi and later on finished by Anwar Ali and Imad Wasim on the last ball of the inning was probably the best. But one must also remember that apart from the 5 series' Pakistan played, Bangladesh series was won by the hosts, and Pakistan hosted England T20 series was won by England, rest were in favour of Pakistan.

Not wishing good for 2016 because some crook management of PCB are trying their level hard to bring a crook and tainted player to wear a Pakistan jersey. Shame.

Peace!

To have some, you've to lose some

The cricketing career for Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif has got an end, and similarly it won't be easy for Muhammad Amir to have a comeback after 5 years By the time I'm writing all this, since my last post, things still messed up for EG, Kolkata and their first match of the cricket world cup is shifted to Chinaswammy Stadium, Bangalore, but a similar sorta debacle came for Pakistan yesterday when the suspended Pakistani trio, Salman Butt, Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Amir were penalized for 10, 7 and 5 years suspension respectively, which means that Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif's career has got an end, because a 10 year and 7 year suspension sentence means they can't participate in any kind of registered cricketing event for that time period. On a personal note, I favour this suspension, because literally as I conveyed the same message to my fellow colleagues in my working place and in my university that at least it showed us the points and aspects where we lagging, like disciplinary, managerial, controlling, planning etc (it seems I am studying the basis of managerial studies once), and the result of which is the Doha Verdict in which the trio was suspended. Although according to my standards, they were penalized leniently, else i was expecting and wanting them to be suspended for life including Muhammad Amir else it'll convey a negative message to the youngsters that they can get the benefit of doubt every time they commit something stupid. Secondly it also exposed our Cricket Board which wasn't supporting them at all. It meant that the board was also involved in it or at least knew about all this fishy stuff. Why am I saying like that? Flashbacking to Pakistan's tour to England where all this thing erupted, in the second test where Zulqarnain Haider saved Pakistan from a humiliating Inning Defeat margin, they (the PCB Management) couldn't control them and Haider was able to gather information about staying in London while having immunity, now he's utilizing those information and now blackmailing the PCB and Pakistani Government in security threats, as if he is a super star in Pakistan. I don't think he even close to Kamran Akmal's stature to be having life-threats. Blah Blah Blah Everyone knows the educational standard here in Pakistan, where Karachi and Lahore are having SOME educational institutes where emphasis on personal grooming is given, but those who belong to rural localities of Pakistan, don't have such privileges, minus Zulqarnain Haider from it, like we say in Urdu دیڑھ ہوشیار بننا. So its useless to even brag about it. What I feel? What I personally feel when you wear a green shirt with the word Pakistan embossed alongwith the PCB emblem, we should respect that instead of playing personal sinister games. Before having a comeback into Pakistan National Side, Muhammad Asif was already penalized for having drugs and had lifetime ban of entering into UAE because of it. No player is indispensable, at that time we should have start looking for young slot instead of having such a monopolistical influence of these players, if we had moved that way, things must have been on a track. Following are some of the extracts from the former Pakistani players on eve of this controversy. What they said? Iqbal Qasim believes the investigation has shown up the inefficiency in the Pakistan board. "To gain an honest system, and have unquestionable integrity, you have to lose something and players come and go - this will be a momentary loss for Pakistan cricket." Rashid Latif is confident that the verdict will be to the benefit of Pakistan cricket in the long run. "The ICC had decided to give punishments to the players because there was too much pressure on them to curb fixing. It's an important day for world cricket and very sad for Pakistan. Amir and Asif are a huge loss." Former PCB chief Arif Abbasi supports the tribunal's verdict. "Amir can still make a comeback because he has age on his side, but it is good for him to learn his lesson at this stage." Former ICC president Ehsan Mani believes Amir can serve his ban and return to the highest level. "The important things with any punishment for those sorts of things is that it sends a very strong message to people that might be tempted to do it in the future... that if you do it then your career is going to be substantially reduced if not completely destroyed." England captain Andrew Strauss agrees the punishments can serve as a deterrent

Not very optimistic!

Now since this T20 and ODI series is going to be started under the shadows of match fixing and etc, today Pakistan when bat first against the inform English team, it looked under pressure from the ball one. Although after early departure of Senior Akmal, inclusion of Mohammad Yousuf did helped a bit but that's true that Mohammad Yousuf played hurriedly and didn't thought of staying on the wicket and to keep the score board tickling, instead he was more thinking of relying on 4s and 6s, although he's not a hard hitter of the ball but still, his inclusion did helped.

After playing under pressure against the English players, Pakistan managed to score a modest score of 126 in 120 balls, which for me against a world champion T20 team, is peanuts!

Although Pakistan have taken 5 crucial wickets but the youngsters fired for the English team with the debutant Davies hammered crucial runs along with Bopara and Morgan and now while I am writing this 118-5 is England's score! and like English media have the tendency of putting ample pressure on the visiting teams, they've won the match against us much before the match already played, by involving the cream of Pakistan team into controversy, as the last T20I Pakistan played against the Aussies, Muhammad Aamer was the standout player and was named as the man of the series, and Salman Butt was the standout player as batter in that 2 match series, and getting them into controversy gives me some suspicions.

MARK MY WORDS, as there are some super powers in the cricketing world who want to tame Pakistan cricket under their own jurisdictions. just see without Salman Butt and Muhammad Aamer, Pakistani team just shattered against the England, else no doubt England are current world champions but still in presence of a quality bowler and quality batsman in Aamer and Salman, England team didn't had a chance to win that much comprehensively against Pakistan as the news just broke England 129-5 with 17 balls to spare! Its more lagness of Pakistan management!

What they said!

Matter taken from link above!

“They got their hooks into him as a baby, at a time when he would have had few confidants in the dressing room, few colleagues he could have gone to for guidance. These men, his team-mates, were meant to look after him; instead they corrupted him, blackened his soul and diminished his talent.
Look at Aamer’s no-ball. It is a joke. It is so exaggerated, so utterly out of keeping with his bowling performance on Friday that it attracted the attention of the television commentators.
Look at Asif’s. Barely over, a small misjudgment, hardly noticeable. To the naked eye, one man looks as if he knows what he is doing, the other hasn’t a clue. If the allegations are correct, both are cheating, but the older man appears better at it; one might even say more practiced.” Martin Samuel – Daily Mail
“When I heard on Saturday night that Pakistan were involved in a match-fixing scandal, I immediately thought two things. The first was: I’m not massively surprised. The second was: please, don’t let it be Mohammad Aamer.When it turned out the lad was involved, it felt hugely disappointing. Mohammad Asif has got himself into scrapes before, but Aamer has been a breath of fresh air all summer. He’s revived the dying art of proper fast bowling and his future looked fantastic. Now it’s been tarnished. Lord’s felt a shallow place to be yesterday.” Nasser Hussain – Daily Mail
“the pain of witnessing a young boy of the most beguiling talent and apparently sunny nature making what might just prove to be his last strides in a theater of sport he had come to command so brilliantly, so quickly.
Assuming that Aamer’s name goes up on the Lord’s honours board after his astonishing haul of five front-line English wickets, and the not inconsiderable scalp of Graeme Swann, last Friday, we can only hope there will be difficulty in explaining to some future generation of cricketers how it was that such talent was banished from the game at such an early age.” James Lawton – The Independent
“To see an 18-year old boy being dragged into the controversy is the worse part. He had the world, everyone was raving about the talent and praising him. It is such a sad moment in cricket.
Amir comes from a humble background. He is 18, with an impressionable mind, and if he has been keeping bad company, it’s possible he could have been drawn [into wrongdoing]. But if that’s the case, then the guys who got him in should be put behind bars because they’ve spoilt a grand career. They’ve infiltrated and spoilt a young mind, and it’s such a shocking state of affairs.” Ramiz Raja – Cricinfo
“I probably feel for him more than anyone because he’s only a young, naive and innocent young guy. Unfortunately he’s caught up with something.
Whether it’s in their culture I don’t know, I don’t know how deep it runs, but it’s unfortunate that someone of his skill has got tied up with something that is damaging to cricket and to the individuals. I found him to be a brilliant competitor on the field.” Shane Watson
“He should not be punished as an example to the rest, as everyone seems to suggest, rather he should be made aware of the issues, educated, rehabilitated and held up as an example of what can be achieved.
Amir’s rehabilitation should be at the heart of the cleansing of Pakistan cricket. The brilliant young bowler is not the cause of the problem but the most tragic consequence of it.” Michael Atherton – The Times
“It was impossible to take one’s eyes off Amir, but for reasons different than those of a couple of days ago, when he was utterly compelling as he glided in and made magic with the ball. Now you watched him walk in with the knowledge that every eye in the stands looked on in judgment. A wan smile tried to hide the storm that surely raged within as he tried to defend his mere wicket with a shadow looming over his honour. The heart ached for the bowler who had captivated us all year. Surely a boy so gifted couldn’t have let his soul be corrupted at such a tender age? It was a relief when Graeme Swann spun a ball past his bat and bowled him. Surely we’d see Amir bowl in a Test match again? The alternative is too depressing to contemplate.” Sambit Bal – Cricinfo Editor
“Yet we ought to understand part of what might drive a young precocious talent such as Amir to such involvement. Pakistan cricketers are poorly paid, with the riches of the subcontinent in India and a world away. Some, such as Amir, come from poor backgrounds. They are celebrated and feted, showered with gifts. Nice gifts might gain trust. A chance remark, a bit of team information, and the hook is in. Such things are not always about money for the player, for those involved in the vast illegal gambling syndicates of the subcontinent and Far East are uncompromisingly evil. Who knows the threats for non-cooperation?” Mike Selvey – The Guardian
“Perhaps the desire for smallish bans simply stems from a need to see Amir again. The thought that his career is over is far too heartbreaking to even consider. It is his involvement that has made this case so sickening and sad. We tend to reach for hyperbole at times like these, but Amir really is comparable with any 18-year-old bowler in the history of the game. And those who would easily dismiss him as a greedy deviant should recall his overwhelming joy at taking a Lord’s five-for on Friday, when he bent down to kiss the turf. The News of the World described it as “a kiss of betrayal”, but it wasn’t: it was the kiss of a kid who adores the game. He may have done something gravely wrong; if so, we must hope the ICC does not compound it with a hasty and excessive punishment.” Rob Smyth – The Guardian
“We must remember that we are judging these guys by the standards of our own country, when their situations are vastly different. The first time I met Mohammad Amir was when he was 16, coming to an Under-19s camp. He comes from a small village near the Swat valley and was delayed by three hours because the Taliban had closed the highway. That doesn’t happen in this country.
One thing that struck me about Amir was his constant smile, his zest for the game. That has not changed. I will never condone any form of fixing, but we should consider that a cricketer might not be thinking of personal gain but of getting money to buy a generator for his village because they don’t have electricity.” Geoff Lawson – The Age , Melbourne
“In the case of Amir, who is 18, it is terrible that a supremely talented youngster could be exposed to this. He is a delightful bowler with terrific skills. How sad it would be if it turns out his career is wrecked, but if anyone is involved in corruption he must be banned for life.” Jonathan Agnew – BBC Cricket
“I think one of the great sadnesses of all of this, and it’s a widely held view, is that a great young talent like Amir has been implicated in this one,” said Parry. “I think that’s what perhaps separates this from many other cases, because it suggests that the bad guys got to him before the good guys did.
But in terms of educating the players, it could be that they’ve (the ICC) not done enough. It would have to be a shock that a talent that has broken onto the scene so very, very quickly is at the centre of all this.
He’d have been enrolled in a cricket academy from a young age, and from the moment he shot to prominence with the international squad, you’d think that the Pakistan Cricket Board might have recognised a vulnerability and a need to put an arm around him. I can’t imagine it would have been that difficult to do, because when you read of the sums involved in betting in the Far East – with up to $500 million on a single game – the temptation is potentially there for relatively lowly paid cricketers. It’s beholden upon the authorities to step in and provide appropriate support systems.” Rick Parry – Cricinfo
“Only 18, and from an impoverished background, Amir would appear as much victim as perpetrator, a teenager whose head was easily turned.
If found guilty Amir, who was Pakistan’s Man of the Series, must be punished for his role, but he must not be crushed, despite those who think he should have known better. Morals are not limited to those with an education or experience. Amir might very well have been targeted precisely because he lacked both those things.
He was allegedly manipulated on two fronts; by the apparent loathsome fixer, promising riches beyond his means, and by the senior players also allegedly involved in the scam: Salman Butt, his captain, and Mohammad Asif, his new-ball partner.
He must be saved for another reason too, for cricket is not so well endowed it can afford to cast its prize assets on to the bonfire and hope others rise phoenix-like in their place. Amir is the youngest bowler in history to reach 50 Test wickets, so imagine how good he could be if he concentrated solely on getting batsmen out and not on the instructions needed to complete shady deals.” Derek Pringle – The Telegraph