Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed has downplayed the controversy surrounding his surprise exclusion from the two Twenty20 Internationals the country played against Sri Lanka.
“I am just happy that the team won the T20 series and improved its international rankings,” the 28-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman told reporters on arrival.
“I have no issues if I am rested because of team requirements. I am not a part of the tour selection committee. My job is to give my best performances whenever I play and I always try to do that.”
Sarfraz’s exclusion caused a stir among cricketing circles in Pakistan, which forced the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Chairman Executive Committee Najam Sethi to release a statement seeking explanation from the team management.
“Questions of dropping Sarfraz come from the general public and we also want to know reasons of his dropping,” Sethi said.
However, the wicketkeeper batsman had no grudge on being unceremoniously dumped. Instead, he was glad donning the Pakistan colours in Test matches and one-day internationals.
“I am just happy to see the way we won the T20 series and how we performed throughout the tour. It is great news for Pakistan cricket as we are now moving forward,” Sarfraz, the ODI and T20 vice-captain, said.
He added that Pakistan’s sensational one-wicket victory in the second T20 was heartening as it showed the “never-say-die spirit” of the Pakistan team.
Re: Sarfraz downplays controversy over surprise T20 exclusion
Sarfraz's exclusion from the T20Is was disappointing (not least because he is the nominated VC of both ODI and T20 teams) but the fact is, it was hard to drop Hafeez esp. after his performance with the bat during the ODIs.
The management (incl. Waqar and Afridi) has some explaining to do, but people should stop seeing politics or nepotism in everything. We must relish healthy competition for places in the team.
Mukhtar comes across as a pure slogger (with no genuine technique) and would most likely struggle against genuine bowling attacks
I would open with Shehzad and Sarfraz (better batsman than Rizwan) in both ODIs and T20Is and play Rizwan as a keeper-batsman in both ODIs and T20Is. Umar Akmal should play only as a batsman. I know Sarfraz is a better keeper but it is probably asking too much of him to both keep AND open the innings.
[QUOTE] That's called true team spirit, This also give confidence to the team management to work on different ideas, Cricket should be played like sports not like Pakistani politics where nobody can think beyond Bhuttos, Sharifs or Elahis!
[/QUOTE]
Pakistan T20 captain Shahid Afridi on Wednesday lashed out at a section of media for criticising him over the decision to drop in-form wicket-keeper/batsman Sarfraz Ahmed in the recently held T20 series in Sri Lanka.
Sarfraz for the last year or so has been in great form both as wicket-keeper and batsman. Therefore, axing him from the two T20s against top-ranked Sri Lanka astonished many fans and critics, and the decision was criticised on several media platforms.
Moreover, PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan and the Board’s executive committee chief Najam Sethi have also questioned and sought explanation from the national touring team management, of which Afridi is also part, for dropping Sarfraz.
**“I have learned that [some] people who analyse and comment on cricket in media are very narrow-minded. We rested Sarfraz [for the Sri Lanka T20s] only to experiment with other players,” **Afridi told reporters here.
[HR][/HR]Skipper insists gloveman was dropped to experiment ahead of World T20
[HR][/HR]However, there is a general feeling that since 28-year-old Sarfraz is the vice-captain of national ODI and T20 sides, he should be part of the decision-makers and therefore must be picked in top matches in order to start building a synergy and more importantly to bring the team leadership at the same wavelength.
“The team is at the moment in building process since we have World T20 coming up. So we are taking decisions keeping in mind the mega event and preparing and experimenting for it accordingly,” Afridi stated.
“We will make all-out efforts to prepare and build a strong team for next year’s World Twenty20.”
National selection committee chief Haroon Rasheed has reportedly told a newspaper recently that Sarfraz would be given chance to captain the T20 side in international matches leading up to the World T20.
Afridi, however, dispelled that impression, saying Haroon meant that Sarfraz would be given chance in side matches and would be groomed as future skipper.
“Haroon has been misquoted. He said Sarfraz may be given chance to captain the team in side matches to prepare him for future. And I welcome that decision to groom a captain with the team’s future in mind,” Afridi said.
The swashbuckling all-rounder also tried to consolidate his stance, saying that he never ran after captaincy, rather captaincy had followed him and there was no case of him fighting for securing captaincy.
Meanwhile, Afridi lauded young all-rounder Anwar Ali, who played well in the recent Sri Lanka ODI series besides inspiring Pakistan to a thrilling one-wicket win against Sri Lanka in the second T20 with a whirlwind 17-ball 46.
Afridi also praised legendary Wasim Akram for supervising a fast bowlers’ camp in Karachi, emphasising “such programmes would certainly help find and groom talented young bowlers”.
In jest, Afridi said:** “[Some of] our former batsmen only want to coach the national side, which is a lucrative affair, and are not interested in exploring talent as Wasim is doing.****“So, he should be hailed for doing a very good and important job.”**
Re: Sarfraz downplays controversy over surprise T20 exclusion
@ Southie
I agree. The best keeper should play. Besides you don't drop your in-form keeper-batsman for experimental reasons. Such shenanigans by the team management are enough to destroy a (deserving) player's confidence. Afridi's excuse is lame to say the least. Maybe he feels insecure with Sarfraz around (as mentioned by some dawn readers)
Re: Sarfraz downplays controversy over surprise T20 exclusion
The decision to drop Sarfaraz just does not pass muster. Clearly, Waqar has a beef with him for some reason. They were experimenting? You play your best combination in an international match. Are they admitting to taking Srilanka T20s not seriously enough? Ridiculous.
Re: Sarfraz downplays controversy over surprise T20 exclusion
I think both captain and coach have some explaining to do. Sarfraz would not have been 'rested' without Afridi's input. Contrary to general belief, coach is not all-powerful in cricket and he alone does not decide the final XI rather (I believe) the team management which includes captain, coach and the team manager. Captain has the final say imo and hence Afridi is desperately trying to defend himself
Re: Sarfraz downplays controversy over surprise T20 exclusion
there is no justification of droping sarfraz. all stories by afridi n waqar are plain stupid. he is not that old orestablished to groom a new plyers so soon. furhter he was just made vise captaion.
on the other hand i will very happy if they make sarfraz permanent for test and odi and rizwan for T20. though rizwan does not have that much of hitting power. mukhtar should not be dropped he can be another gayle in the making ( batting only )