Former Test players slam Pakistan for early World Cup T20 exit

ANI

Karachi, Oct. 7 (ANI): Pakistan's exit from the World Twenty20 has drawn criticism from several former players. Having restricted Sri Lanka to 139 in the semi-final in Colombo, Pakistan were beaten by 16 runs. Former fast bowler Aaqib Javed, who has also been Pakistan's bowling coach, has questioned Shahid Afridi and Imran Nazir's place in the side due to their inconsistency. "I don't know why these players don't show the sportsmanship and walk away themselves as he should have gone after Mohali semifinal (in the 2011 World Cup) against India," the Daily Times quoted Aaqib, as saying about Afridi. "It's been 12 years that Imran has been playing around the national team and he's yet to settle. In a player's career, a one-time sacking is enough for one to realise but as many as nine comeback, in his case, are still not enough to learn a lesson," Aaqib added. Former fast bowler Sikander Bakht echoed similar views about Afridi and called for dropping other senior players in the side as well. "It's time for a change and drop Imran, Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik, and ensure they don't come back again," Bakht said. Former captain Zaheer Abbas and legspinner Abdul Qadir were surprised at the decision to exclude all-rounder Abdul Razzaq from the playing XI in the semifinal. Razzaq was selected in the squad after a gap of nine months, but he played just one game in the World T20 this year, scoring 22 off 17 balls in the Super Eights win over Australia. "I don't think Razzaq has been treated fairly and given the respect he deserves as a senior player with many match-winning performances to his credit," Qadir said. Zaheer said captain Mohammad Hafeez had made some poor decisions, leaving out Razzaq being one of them along with not trying Kamran as opener. "The batsmen didn't play according to the situation and pitch conditions. I thought 140 was gettable in the match but the execution was missing, and Hafeez got out at a very crucial time. He should have finished off the game," he said. (ANI)