Former Pakistan players want Misbah removed as captain

Image
Press Trust of India Karachi
Last Updated : Sep 01 2014 | 9:21 PM IST
Even though the political climate in Pakistan is heated up and uncertainty prevails but that has not prevented former players from wading into the national team for its poor performances in Sri Lanka and for renewed calls to remove Misbah-ul-Haq as captain.
While the attention of the entire nation is focused on the political landscape in Islamabad, former players have called for the sacking of Misbah saying it was paramount to appoint flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi as captain for the World Cup.
"It is imperative that Misbah is sacked as captain and Afridi asked to replace him. Misbah's batting and temperament is preventing the team from showing its true potential in one-day matches," former captain, Muhammad Yousuf said.
"Afridi may not be in the best of form but he is a natural leader and he will bring back the much needed enthusiasm and zest into the team that is badly needed for the World Cup," Yousuf told PTI today.
Yousuf said that Misbah had been pulling down the team with his defensive approach and passive captaincy. "He is going nowhere now. He has given his best days to Pakistan cricket and we appreciate that but it is time to move on."
Former captain Rashid Latif also felt that after the shoddy performances of the Pakistan team in Sri Lanka it appeared as if Afridi would be brought in as captain.
"To me it seems the time has come for Misbah to be changed. I get this feeling. Because there is no explanation for the way we performed in Sri Lanka," he said.
He said that the team despite having a strong support staff just didn't seem to learn from their mistakes and Misbah was not leading from the front.
But well-informed sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board insisted that they were no plans to unseat Misbah at this time.
"Chairman, Shaharyar Khan is clear in his mind that one bad series does not justify sacking Misbah and secondly stability in required in the team in the buildup to the World Cup which Misbah provides," one source said.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Sep 01 2014 | 9:21 PM IST

Next Story