Perth, February 01: Pakistan chief selector Iqbal Qasim has quit following his team’s tour to Australia ended in humiliation after a Test series whitewash preceded the five-match one-day series here. Qasim took responsibility for the disappointment – that comes just months after Pakistan romped to the World Twenty20 – by handing in his resignation.
”The selection committee, which I headed, did its best to select the best possible team for the Tests as well as for the one-day matches, but it did not live up to the expectations of the fans who are badly hurt,” Qasim said.
”I am also badly hurt and disappointed, so as a man of character I have taken this decision and hope that a proper post-mortem of the team’s performance is done by the PCB to help Pakistan cricket move forward.” Australia were made to work harder for their victory yesterday than they have in any of the previous clashes but the match was marred by accusations of ball tampering levelled against the controversial Shahid Afridi.
Match refree Ranjan Madugalle had banned Afridi for two matches after holding a hearing on the complaint by
on-field umpires Asoka De Silva and Paul Reiffel after the match. Afridi, who was leading Pakistan in the absence of Mohammad Yousuf, had been caught on TV cameras apparently biting the ball on a couple of occasions. The incident was reported to the on-field umpires by the TV umpire and after a chat with Afridi, the umpires changed the ball immediately.
Afridi will now miss the two Twenty20 internationals.
——-Agencies