*Man I really miss this guy, he was really aggressive and had an ability to grab couple of wickets in each game and even his fielding was always better than the rest of the players.This guy was short but really fast…
I wont say his ommision was unjustified but its a pool of talented young players in Pakistan that makes his inclusion very unlikely
At the later stages of his career he was getting little expensive and was not really effective which I belive was the reason for his ommission, well every player goes thru the lean patch but unfortunately he wasnt given enough time to regain his form
I still belive he can make a comeback anytime or any given day!after all he is our little MUSHI*
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport/hi/english/cricket/newsid_1971000/1971056.stm
At 32 years of age, Pakistan’s Mushtaq Ahmed must still be considered one of the finest leg-spinners in contemporary cricket.
But this summer he is plying his trade for Little Stoke, a club battling away in the PipeMaster North Staffordshire and South Cheshire Cricket League.
It’s a long way from the dustbowls of Karachi and Lahore, where Pakistan’s Test team are giving New Zealand a hiding, but Mushtaq takes a relaxed view of life.
“All this depends on your fate. I am playing here in England and some one is playing in the national side,” he told BBC Sport Online.
**Success from the early 90s **
The player’s Test debut in 1990 in Adelaide against Australia was not a big success as he got only one wicket in two innings.
However, two years later he was a key performer in the World Cup, which Pakistan won, beating England in the final.
For the next few years, he was an integral part of the team with some memorable performances to his credit.
Mushtaq is still a prolific performer in Pakistan’s domestic cricket and he was one of the most successful spinners during the recent domestic season.
So how is it that such a talented player has no permanent place in the national team?
“I can only perform well, which I think I am already doing and the rest depends on the selectors,” he said. "You can only hope for the best once you have played your part.
“If you look at the start of my career, there was no logical place for me in the team but I performed and was included.”
First, Saqlain Mushtaq replaced Mushtaq Ahmed as Pakistan’s number one spinner.
Now, the introduction of another young leg spinner - Danish Kaneria - seems to have compounded the problem of plenty.
“Pakistan have no shortage of new and talented players, including spinners,” Mushtaq said.
"Fortunately, Kaneria played in the beginning against Bangladesh and now against New Zealand, so he was quite successful.
Mushtaq faces tough competition for a team place "I hope he would get confidence from his performance.
Mushtaq also praised the current form of the Pakistan team.
"They are performing consistently except in the Asian Championship final.
“If they continue, I am sure they will be able to defeat Australia in the World Cup next year.”
Mushtaq said the Pakistani media should now get behind their team and support them all the way.
“In Australia, New Zealand and England, teams get very strong support from their local media but we receive harsh criticism for minor mistakes,” he said.
Relaxation
Mushtaq once represented Somerset but the cricket he is playing in the Potteries is altogether less of a burden.
For the high-flying cricketer, this new type of cricket offers relaxations aplenty.
“I have to play only once a week and the rest is real rest. My family is with me, so this is also a sort of holiday,” he said.
“I couldn’t get a county contract this year but I am in talks with some counties for the next season.”
[This message has been edited by sherrybaba (edited May 09, 2002).]