Team will have to take responsibility: Misbah

Misbah-Ul-Haq

Islamabad - After a poor show at the Champions Trophy, the Pakistan cricket team left for the West Indies to play five One-day Internationals and two Twenty20s starting July 14.

Pakistan’s 16-member team along with head coach Dav Whatmore, bowling coach Muhammad Akram and other supporting staff departed from the Jinnah International Airport of the country’s southern port city of Karachi here Sunday night, reports Xinhua.

Pakistan ODI captain Misbah-ul-Haq, talking to media before departure, said the West Indian team always give tough time to visiting teams on their home turfs, “but we shall play a good cricket there”.

“We could not do well in our last two series, this is the time we can perform and boost our morale. The whole team will have to take responsibility, one or two players cannot win matches,” said Misbah.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the 16-member squad for the tour of the West Indies by dropping some big names from the side.

The PCB’s chief selector Iqbal Qasim claimed to have selected the best available team by making a blend of experienced players and youngsters for the tour.

The selection committee retained Misbah as the skipper of the One-Day International (ODI) team and Muhammad Hafeez as the captain of Twenty20 side.

After the team’s disappointing performance in the Champions Trophy in England last month, the PCB took bold steps and dropped senior players and gave chance to young blood.

Former captain Shoaib Malik, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and opening batsman Imran Farhat could not impress the selectors and were ousted from the team.

The country’s top star player Shahid Afridi, young batsman Ahmad Shehzad, Umar Akmal and emerging wicketkeeper Muhammad Rizwan were included in the team.

Pakistan will play five ODI matches against the West Indies starting from July 14 before the two Twenty20s slated for July 27 and July 28.