Shoaib Akhtar, Rashid Latif slam Pakistan team management for letting Sarfaraz Ahmed perform 12th-man duties
Former Pakistan cricketers Shoaib Akhtar and Rashid Latif have slammed the Pakistan team management for making former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed perform the 12th-man duties during Day 2 of the first Test between Pakistan and England at Manchester.
Sarfaraz Ahmed was seen carrying drinks and shoes for Shadab Khan during the 71st over of Day 2.
Shoaib Akhtar believes that making the captain who led Pakistan to the 2017 Champions Trophy carry out such duties is absolutely disrespectful.
Rashid Latif further pointed out that other players from the 16-member squad who were not a part of the playing eleven, like Wahab Riaz, were not in their jerseys but were instead in their tracksuits. Latif believes that this showed a lack of team spirit within the Pakistan team.
Sarfaraz Ahmed is such a docile and weak man: Shoaib Akhtar
Speaking of the incident, Shoaib Akhtar said:
“I didn’t like the visual. If you want to make an example out of a boy from Karachi, then it is wrong. You can’t do this to a player who has led Pakistan for four years and has won Champions Trophy for the country. You have made him carry the shoes. If he has done it himself, then stop him. Wasim Akram never brought shoes for me.”
“This shows that Sarfaraz is such a docile and weak man. He must have lead Pakistan in the same way as he carried the shoes. That’s why Mickey Arthur always dominated him. I am not saying carrying the shoes is a problem, but former captain can’t do that.”
Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq dismissed all rumours claiming that the team management was mistreating Sarfaraz Ahmed, stating that he had previously even performed 12th-man duties when he wasn't playing.
Misbah went on to thank Sarfaraz Ahmed for performing the duties without any hesitation and clarified that the former skipper carried the drinks because the other spare players were practising in the nets. He said:
“Sarfaraz is an excellent human being and player. He knows that it is a team game. When other players are practicising outside, so the player who is available has to help out. It is not a matter of disrespect. In fact, it is big of Sarfaraz that he doesn’t mind doing it. Plus, it is a sign of a good team.”
England ended the day on 92-4 after Pakistan were bowled out for 326. Pakistan bowlers will look to strike early on Day 3 while the England batsmen Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler will hope to form an efficient partnership to bail England out of trouble.