Javed Miandad feels Shahid Afridi does not deserve to be in Pakistan team
In a no-holds-barred criticism on Pakistani cricket, former batsman Javed Miandad questioned Shahid Afridi’s place in the national team. Rediff reported the veteran coming down hard on the performances of the charismatic captain.
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Not the one to be mincing any words, Miandad was scathing in his assessment. He said, “How can you have a player who no one knows how he will perform? Afridi's place in the team was over few years back.”
The 58-year old slammed the all-rounder’s inability to lead from the front. Javed affirmed, “How can you expect to win or improve your cricket when a player who stopped being a reliable performer some years ago is still playing in the national team? He is captain.”
Widely acknowledged as Pakistan’s greatest ever batsman, Miandad was also frustrated with the quality of domestic cricket in his country and alleged that nepotism was ruining the entire scenario. He claimed, “You still have parchi (slip) system in domestic cricket even at district level. It only looks good on surface but in reality it is not producing quality players.”
Slamming the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for failing to curb corruption in the system, the street-smart cricketer wanted the organization to sack non-performing players as well as revamp the selection committee.
Miandad asserted, “Don't they know what is happening? Don't they see what is happening to our cricket? I say, sack this selection committee and players who don't perform. Nowadays we have a trend where players play because of the media.”
The former middle-order batsman who was the bulwark of Pakistani batting lineup throughout the 1980s wanted his players to emulate Virat Kohli's performances with the bat. He implied, “The fact is many of our players lack cricket sense and aptitude. They are over-protected.
“They are saying Pakistan Super League will produce talent. I didn't see any player in the PSL who is so good that he can get a contract in the Big Bash or IPL.”