“Sorry no talent in Pakistan cricket” said ex T20 captain Shahid Afridi few days ago while talking to BBC. In my opinion BOOM BOOM is right. If you look into the world of Pakistan cricket this statement of Afridi makes complete sense. If we had got talent, would this have been that easy for a cricketer like Mohammad Amir to make a convenient come back in Pakistan cricket team? No doubt Amir is a good talented cricketer that’s why after five-year ban he walked into Pakistan cricket. While another spot fixer Salman Butt is waiting for his turn. If Pakistan cricket board had shown some seriousness towards him, he would also have been a part of the England tour party.
Before England tour Pakistan cricket board chairman Shahryar Mohammad Khan requested Misbah-ul-Haq to continue his cricket. We fail to understand as to why he pushed a 42 year old man to carry on his captaincy. But one of the reasons may be having no substitute. Here again we sense the truth concealed in Afridi’s statement. “No talent in Pakistan”.
Pakistan women’s cricket team has consistently been on the losing side. But ODI captain Sana Mir and her company continue to block way for the new talent emerging in domestic cricket.
After ban on Mohammad Hafeez and Saeed Ajmal’s bowling action, we could not produce any quality off-spinner to fill in the gap. PCB removed Haroon Rasheed’s selection committee after pathetic performance in Asia Cup and ICC world T20, but on the other hand he is returning in PCB once again.
All-rounder Anwar Ali played 22 ODI’s scored 321 runs and took 18 wickets, also he took 10 wickets in 16 T20Is and scored just 109 runs but somehow he has failed to present himself as quality all-rounder. In the same manner we have a living example in form of Shahid Khan Afridi who played for 20 years despite heavy criticism on his style of playing but could not be replaced by anybody. Consequently Afridi feels he is fit to play for another two years. And now when he is not in the team we miss his stardom, as none of the players know how to pull crowd as Afridi did.