Pakistan committed too many blunders, say former players

Former Pakistan cricketers lashed out at the team for lack of planning and strategy after it went down to arch-rivals India by 76 runs in its cricket World Cup opening match at the Adelaide Oval.
Batting great Zaheer Abbas pointed out that Pakistan committed too many mistakes on the field and also while selecting the team and felt that the players were not trying to learn from their previous blunders.
"Pakistan committed too many mistakes. Younis Khan should not have been sent as an opener and they should not have dropped Sarfraz Ahmed and made Umar Akmal keep wickets," he said.

"There was no proper planning. We made so many mistakes. Our captain did blunders. Sending Younis to open the innings was a big blunder and using Umar as a wicketkeeper was another. Moreover, we dropped so many catches.
"Last World also we dropped so many catches. When do we learn?," asked Abbas during a panel discussion in 'CNN-IBN'.
They are playing cricket throughout the year, what is stopping them from learning," he added.

Abbas also felt that Pakistani batsmen did not do their job well.
"Pakistani batsmen couldn't score. Under pressure, they simply played bad shots," he insisted.
Spin great Saqlain Mushtaq said Pakistan team lacked genuine openers and a wicketkeeper.

"Our strategy was not right. Although I agree that sending Younis Khan as an opener was country's requirement but we surely lack a genuine opener and a genuine wicket-keeper," said Saqlain.
Meanwhile, another former Pakistan cricketer Mohsin Khan came down heavily on the country's Cricket Board, saying that the management is responsible for team's dismal showing.
"Because of lack of sincerity in our nation's cricket board, we are suffering today. The team management is a total failure and it is also destroying the team. So many changes time again at the administrative level is hampering the team," he stressed.
"India today played professional cricket and look at the way we performed," Mohsin, who has been a chief selector in the past, said.

Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikanth, however, gave full marks to India for posting a comprehensive victory.
"We have registered a convincing and outstanding win. I congratulate our team on a fabulous victory," said Srikanth.