Razzaq quits international Cricket

[yaasir]

Allrounder denies ICL offer was the reason

Abdul Razzaq quits international cricket

Osman Samiuddin

August 20, 2007

Abdul Razzaq, the Pakistan allrounder, has announced his retirement from international cricket as a protest against his omission from the Twenty20 World Championship squad.

Razzaq told Geo TV he was “mentally upset” by the decision of the selectors to drop him, further suggesting that the decision was based on factors outside cricket. “They used form and fitness as an excuse,” he said. “I believe the selectors want to drop me from Test and ODI cricket as well and so, as a protest, I am quitting international cricket.”

As many before him, however, Razzaq left the door open for a possible return. “There can be reconciliation but the board has to listen to the grievances of the players. Why is the board acting like this with players, trying to get rid of all the seniors?”

Razzaq’s future has been the subject of frenzied speculation since his omission from the 15-man squad two weeks ago. He was publicly scathing of the PCB in a TV interview the day after he was dropped and has since delayed signing a central contract with the board.

He has also been pondering over an offer to play in the Indian Cricket League (ICL), though he was quick to stress that it had little to do with his decision. “The ICL has nothing to do with it. I have taken this decision only because of my being dropped.”

He added that reports he had already signed up with the league were not correct. “I have an offer from them but I have not confirmed it yet. I will only decide in the next few days.”

Once considered among the finest allrounders in the game, Razzaq’s career has failed to live up to expectations in recent years. His performances over the last couple of years, in particular, have been patchy. From his last 15 ODIs, he averages 17.30 with the bat and a highest score of 38. His once-bristling fast-medium seam bowling has lost some of its bite and in the same period he has taken only 12 wickets.

Three fifties and 38 wickets in his last 15 Tests suggest the malaise isn’t restricted to just limited-overs cricket, though injuries have hardly helped the process. He missed the Test series against South Africa late last year and the World Cup subsequently. In 2005, he also missed the home series against England with an elbow injury.

Razzaq’s decision comes in the background of more reports that at least four other Pakistan players, including Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf, are set to sign on with the ICL.

Osman Samiuddin is Pakistan editor of Cricinfo

© Cricinfo

link- http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/current/story/307521.html

[yaasir]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

once again...the guy has proved how big of a duffer and selfish player he is. If he looks at himself in the mirror and thinks about how he has performed in the last one year...he would know he deserves to get a boot from the team and play some domestic cricket to get his form back.

But no..ulta dimagh...ghamand nahi jaana...team jaye bhaar mein..mujhe khilaao

[Cheegum]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

No i think he has made a good decision. Get rid of this disease called the PCB. Razzak can now go play for the ICL with a clear conscience.

[Umer579]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

It is not that surprising to me. The attitude of PCB is totally pathetic & unprofessional and this kind of attitude is going to make players unhappy rather than anything else.

A. Razzaq is an asset to Pakistan and he has performed wonderfully well particularly the ODIs. So when it comes to 20/20 WC, I really doubt that anyone can be as good as A. Razzaq for batting lower in the order and his good bowling as well.

What PCB is trying to achieve is beyond comprehension to me? A. Razzaq did the right thing and this is how PCB might learn if they have a working brain.
Umer

[yaasir]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

^ Give me a break. Thats the most pathetic arguement ever. PCB for ONCE is picking players who are in form and are fit rather than based on seniority. Kallis was not picked, neither was Flemming or Tendi, or Dravid or Gangualy yet those players havent announced their retirement yet? And mind you...the players which I have mentioned above are a FAR higher class players than Abdul Razzaq is and ever will be. What right does he have to announce his retirement in protest that he didnt get selected. He has every right to be disapointed...Kallis was too...no one is stopping Razzaq from expressing his disapointment..but this annoucement is nothing more than a attention seeking cheap shot. Its almost like blackmailing.

The idiot should go and look at his performence in ANY form of cricket over the last 2 years and he'll get the answer. We have talented young all rounders ready to be given chances like Mansoor Amjed, Fawad Alam, Yasir Arafat...there's no shortage of talent...then why carry a liability like Razzaq in the team?

Whether the board makes the right decison or wrong...the decision must be respected by the player...Micheal Beven was dropped from the Aussie team even when his carrer average 50+ and we didnt hear him whine or say a word.

Im sick of this wining and crying...Razzaq needs to grow up. Actually, he should just kiss his career goodbye with this kind of attitude.

I really hope PCB doesnt bow down because of this. They have taken a strict stance on fitness for once and I hope they keep it that way. I've always said player power plays a big part in Pakistani cricket and a lot of people don't believe it. You can imagine what goes on behind the scenes when out of form for 2 years players like Razzaq have the guts to announce their retirement 'in protest' that they got dropped. Buddy...you should have been dropped a long time ago....You're lucky Inzi was the captain of the team and you kept playing for soo long when you didnt deserve too. Wake up and smell the coffee Razzaq. Go play for ICL and make some money...hamari jaan choro.

[homer_j_simpson]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

@Cheegum

No i think he has made a good decision. Get rid of this disease called the PCB. Razzak can now go play for the ICL with a clear conscience.

I totally agree. The shameful attitude of PCB is forcing the players on making these decisions. More players to leave Pakistani cricket in due course.

[Shafiq]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

Agree with Yaasir. A. Razzaq had been given so many chances to prove. The guy had always fitness problems. PCB is doing good job in picking the energetic and serious players. No more politics.

[Sohaib]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

I dont agree with Razzaq's decision. Absolutely immature decision. Yes PCB has treated him badly but why did he ever think he is indispensible? He still has a lot to offer for us and should have been selected for 20-20. Having said that, this is a totally stupid call by him.

[Nikka_Kaka]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

yep I Agree

[legbreakgoogly]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

He was trash any way. Not one of the top 6 bats, not one of the top 4 bowlers. Let his cry.

[legbreakgoogly]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

^^

Refers to test cricket.

[Fayz]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

Razaaq is an employee of PCB. If he is not happy then he should quit and make his living elsewhere i.e. ICL.

The bottom line for professional players is money, we should not make them guilty of abandoning the country. If he wants to leave to prove a 'point' then let him go regardless of whether his 'point' registers with anyone or not.

[gravity_killz]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

and then they say 'we only play for pakistan'

[Rock_Express]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

Very good player especially in the ODI (by the way not a joker) but I think decision was made emotionally. He has not really done justice to his talent. I think he will be back................

[fair_balance]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

They all(Razzaq, Yousuf,Farhat etc) will be back. ICC and BCCI will have to ome to some compromise with ICL soon.

[Man_with_a_Plan]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

Great player, huge loss for Pakistan. PCB has again shown how badly they have managed Pakistan Cricket. Its not only Razzaq, Pakistan was playing bad for past 2 years.

[dhobi_bhai]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

"The ICL has nothing to do with it. I have taken this decision only because of my being dropped."

Good riddance. This is the exact reason why his attitude leaves alot to be desired. Abdul Razzaq has turned into a national shame. Instead of accepting his own faults for the lack of any kind of performances and refusing to play on Pakistan's domestic circuit, he has sent a signal that it is a worthless cause to earn one's place through pure merit and not chamcha-geeri; that actually earning a rank in domestic cricket means literally nothing and that playing for Pakistan below the National level is a lost cause. This decision of his was likely based on the advice given by Inzamam. He is too passive to make any kind of decision himself.

[GoldenAsif]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

@Cheegum

No i think he has made a good decision. Get rid of this disease called the PCB. Razzak can now go play for the ICL with a clear conscience.

I second that....

[Robert]

Re: Breaking News: Razzaq quits international Cricket

I think PCB and players communicate through News media especially newspapers. Thats you hear complains like "Yousuf and Razzaq have not signed the contracts yet", and "PCB has never called us and asked" or Shoaib Akhter's case of being absent from the training camp "They should have called me".

[1137moiz]

Re: Razzaq quits international Cricket

Great player; we'll miss him and I hope he returns to the team he's helped so much
When I heard he was retiring I thought "Oh no" partly because he was leaving and partly because I was expecting this kind of reaction from idiots like yaasir

Ever noticed that Osman Samiuddin leaves out the details that undermine his point? Razzaq may have averaged 17.3 in his last 15 ODIs; look at the bigger picture
For one thing that was in a period where all the batsmen were struggling.
Here's another; Razzaq's batting average in 2006 ODIs was 37.9--that's good enough just for a batsman alone, and he revived some bowling form (though was inconsistent toward the end)
His last 15 ODIs have been a) at home vs WI, where he admittedly underperformed at a time when few players were really performing against the weakened Windies b) in South Africa's ODIs, immediately after an injury. Apart from a century in 2002-03, Razzaq has never been suited to the SAF pitches, he was injured, and that is perhaps the one series he should not have been picked for; c) Abu Dhabi ODIs; he only got to bowl in one match despite playing the second as well. Give the guy a break
By the way, when reading Osman Samiuddin's articles, please do read between the lines. The guy's a logical-fallacies lunatic.