Karachi: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has been accused of being non-serious throughout the Asia Cup and World Twenty20 in the report filed by under-fire coach Waqar Younis who is furious about it being leaked to the media. (Pakistan Coach Waqar Younis Offers to Quit After World T20 Exit)
Senior batsman Mohammad Hafeez was accused of hiding his knee injury from the team management as per the report.
According to excerpts of the report leaked in the media, Waqar said that Afridi appeared non-serious and not concerned about the team’s performance in the two events. (Waqar Younis Submits Team’s Performance Report to PCB)
He claimed that Afridi had regularly missed practice sessions and meetings.
The rift between the head coach and captain is not new as the two had also clashed during Waqar’s first tenure in 2011 as a result of which the cricket board sacked Afridi as ODI and T20 captain. (Afridi To Be Sacked After World T20: Pakistan Cricket Board)
According to Waqar, Hafeez didn’t inform the team management about the injury which ruled him out of the last two crucial matches against New Zealand and Australia.
The legendary pacer expressed his “disappointment” at the report being leaked to the media.
“I am totally disappointed and upset with the way the report has been leaked and I think the Pakistan Cricket Board needs to find out who leaked it and for what purpose,” Waqar said.
“I can only say what I have written in the report is what I sincerely feel. It is now up to the board to decide what to do. Because I have said before cosmetic measures will not bring about any good in Pakistan cricket,” Waqar added.
Waqar talked about the indiscipline and arrogant attitude of players such as Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad.
He claimed that he had requested the national selection committee to include Salman Butt in the squad for the Asia Cup and World T20, but chief selector Haroon Rasheed, without consulting him, included Khurrum Manzoor in the side.
Waqar also accused his former teammate Moin Khan of promoting the culture of favoritism in the dressing room when he was the chief selector, saying that he even gave gifts to some players and them out regularly during the 2015 World Cup, which affected the team spirit.
PTI