Pakistan Team for Sri Lanka Tour
By Arshad Shami
Phoenix, Arizona
The Pakistan cricket team is to play a three-test series against Sri Lanka at Abu Dhabi beginning October 15. .
Besides three tests the two teams will also play one-day and T20 series. The selectors have announced a 15-member squad for the series which does not include Omar Akmal, a batsman of great promise and grit, because of his performance in recent matches. Pacemen Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz have been recalled with left arm spinner Abdur Rehman also included in the team. Shoaib Malik gets yet another chance to prove his credentials. He failed in recent outings but has been included in the hope that he would finally find his touch.
The team has many surprises as the selectors have decided to retain opener Taufiq Umar, who failed once again, and Imran Farhat. One fails to understand as to why we are not able to find another opener to team up with Mohammad Hafeez who indisputably has developed into a match-winning player. The team has three off-spinners in Saeed Ajmal, Shaoib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez while the pace attack will be in the hands of Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Aizan Cheema, and Junaid Khan. Junaid Khan, according to chief selector Mohsin Hassan, who now will also act as coach till a new permanent coach is appointed, has been included because of his pace. He is real fast and his selection would give him the much needed experience.
The batting will revolve round Younis Khan, skipper Misbah ul Haq, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Hafeez and Adnan Akmal. It is a pious hope that openers Imran Farhat or Taufiq Umar for once would prove equal to the task and give the team a solid start. It would be a better strategy to try a younger player in place of the aged Taufiq Umar who has been tried innumerable times but has failed to impress.
Controversies galore in cricket. Shaoib Akhtar, who in his book has launched a tirade against former captain Wasim Akram and has also declared that he had indulged in ball tempering, has opened yet another chapter. He has been joined in by Umar Gul, who has also admitted of ball tempering saying that all bowlers indulge in this activity. He also blamed English bowlers of ball tampering. During this period Pakistan's teen-aged pace bowler Mohammad Aamir surprised all cricket fans when he admitted of spot fixing. His admission has weakened the case of Butt and paceman Asif, who have so far admitted no wrong doing. They are left high and dry and may also admit their guilt.
Shoaib Akhtar's claim that little master Tendulkar and Dravid were not match winners and were afraid of facing him was another source of irritation. Shoaib forgot that during the World Cup in South Africa Tendulkar hit him over point for a grand six on the very first ball he bowled. Fast bowlers are, by nature, temperamental and short-tempered but Shoaib has transgressed all limits, ruining his own career. He could have become the most menacing fast bowler in the world had he concentrated more on his bowling than on fighting with his captains and team mates. He could not maintain good relations with any of his captains and remained controversial all the time. This observation was just in passing.
Reverting to the forthcoming series, it is to be understood that Sri Lanka will be a very hard nut to crack. They are a good fighting team and can turn tables on any team in the world. Much will depend on the Pakistan team's spirit of comradeship and will to fight. With skipper Misbah ul Haq's cool temperament one can safely say he will be able to get the best out of the team. He will have Younis Khan to help him get the desired results as Younis is very resourceful and understands the game.
After Waqar Younis stepped down as team coach the Pakistan Cricket Board has not been able to find another permanent coach for the team and for the time being has appointed chief selector Mohsin Hassan Khan to wear that mantle. He will remain coach till a permanent coach is appointed before the English team arrives to play its series against Pakistan next year. Col. Naushad Ali will manage the team in the absence of Naveed Akram Cheema who has gone for Hajj. A veteran of 48 tests and 75 one-day matches Mohsin Khan will have been elevated to the position of senior coach from that of the junior team's coach.
The team for the Sri Lanka test series is: Misbah Ul Haq (captain), Younis Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Taufiq Umar, Shoaib Malik, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Adnan Akmal(wicket keeper), Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Aizaz Cheema, and Junaid Khan. The First Test will be played at Abu Dhabi and the Second at Dubai.
The team for the one-dayers and T-20 matches will be announced later and may include other players.
arshadshami@yahoo.com
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