Pak selector mum on Afridi outburst
Pakistan chief selector Mohsin Khan refused to react on T20 skipper Shahid Afridi's outburst against the selectors as they face exit from the T20 World Cup.
Afridi had said that he and the coach were not consulted by the selectors while picking the squad.
Mohsin said he will speak on the issue only after the tournament is over.
"Let the tournament finish then I will speak in detail about the team's performance and team selection," Khan said.
Sources close to Mohsin said he was not happy with the remarks made by Afridi as he (Mohsin) had unofficially consulted Afridi while finalising the 15-member squad for the World Cup.
"At that time the Pakistan Board had not announced the captain or coach but Mohsin knew Afridi would be captain and had discussed the selection of the team with him so he is obviously surprised by the remarks made by Afridi," one source said.
Pakistan's poor performance has evoked sharp reactions in the country with former players saying all is not well with the team.
"I don't know what has happened but the team has just not shown the commitment and flair. They are capable of doing and they have looked under pressure in this tournament," former captain Rameez Raja said.
Former captain Moin Khan said the players appeared to play with the fear of defeat on their minds.
"I don't know but the fearless approach of our players that we saw in the first two World Cups is missing, they seem to be subdued and not excited about doing well," he said.
Another former captain Rashid Latif said maybe the recent punishments handed out to the players and the leakage of the inquiry committee's report during the World Cup had put more pressure on the players.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board may soon undergo a slew of major changes following the national team's poor performance in the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies, sources said.
Ijaz Butt, present Chairman of the Board, has survived many critical periods during his 19-month tenure but some well-placed sources said this time the government will make some changes in the set-up.
Although the PCB is on paper an independent entity, not affiliated to any government institution, Pakistan President who is also the chief patron of the Board has the power to appoint the Chairman and approve appointments to the other key positions.
"This time the indications are that the Presidency is also now convinced it is time to make changes in the cricket set-up and bring in younger people. Noman Niaz, a doctor and cricket historian, who has worked in the Board before is likely to get a key position soon," a source told PTI.
After Pakistan's disastrous tour of Australia earlier this year, there was great pressure on Butt to step down but using his political connections he survived.
Another source, however, said he had been told clearly that the President wanted results soon.
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