Grant Flower accuses few ex-Pakistan players of backstabbing

It is not often that a cricketer rates his achievements as a support staff higher than his accomplishments as a cricketer. And not getting a contract renewal despite that ‘proudest personal achievement’ definitely hurts. However, one of the best Zimbabwe cricketers, Grant Flower is not very angry for not getting the contract, rather he is worried by a few former players.

Flower was part of Pakistan’s coaching staff for a long time, having spent 5 years as the batting coach after joining in 2014. He worked under Waqar Younis and then under Mickey Arthur, who replaced Younis. However, PCB didn’t renew his contract despite him helping the team in their 2017 Champions Trophy win.

Last week, Pakistan decided against renewing head coach Mickey Arthur’s contract following a board meeting to review Pakistan’s poor show in the 2019 World Cup where they failed to progress past the group stage.

Things he will miss and won’t

Grant Flower was pretty vocal while speaking about the Pakistan cricket and praised the players for the passion with which they play. However, he also accused some of the ex-players of backstabbing and claimed that politics happens in the PCB itself.

“It was a nice thing to see the passion of the players, their natural flair and their love of the game because they’ve got so much to gain by playing for Pakistan and so much to lose by not playing. A lot of the politics that happens within the TV channels, the journalists and some of the politics in the PCB itself. I won’t miss those, certainly,” he was quoted as saying by Times Now.

The former Zimbabwe cricketer also went on to say Babar Azam is the best player he’s ever coached. “Babar Azam is probably the best bloke I’ve ever coached – certainly the best Pakistani I’ve ever coached,” he added, Meanwhile, Flower also wished a good career ahead for Imam-ul-Haq. He, however, reckons that Haris Sohail is yet to achieve more in his career.

Good luck to fans

Grant Flower also had a message for Pakistan’s fans in which he said, “I just want to wish them all the best for the future and being supportive and passionate, which they already are. And have faith. Have faith in the players and stick behind them. Look for the positives as opposed to the negatives.”

~ Written by Mohit Raj

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