PML-N senator alleges Misbah-ul-Haq was forced to include Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal in Pakistan team

Pakistan team selection raised quite a few eyebrows during the recently concluded T20I series against Sri Lanka. First and foremost, the cricketers came under severe criticism thanks to the Men in Green losing the three-match series 3-0. The center stage of the loss were Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal‘s picks in the team despite them not playing international cricket for quite some time.

Sri Lanka had brought in their second-string team which didn’t feature regular captain Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera, and 8 more first-choice players, who refused to come to Pakistan due to security concerns. But still performed better than the no.1 ranked T20I side Pakistan.

This has led to many questioning how the team fared in the series. The issue of Shehzad and Akmal’s inclusion was even raised in the parliament where the Senator raised some serious concerns. He felt that Misbah was forced to pick both the cricketers.

Misbah-ul-Haq was forced to include Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal in the T20 squad

Ahmed Shehzad managed a few runs in the two matches he played. But Umar Akmal registered two ducks in the two games he played and newly appointed Pakistan cricket chief selector-cum- head coach Misbah-ul-Haq was criticized for picking the two players who are not in form even in domestic cricket, and not played international cricket for quite some time.

The Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) met with Senator Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Nasar in the chair at the Parliament House to discuss the issue of the team’s humiliating loss to Sri Lanka. The PML-N Senator Mushahidullah Khan alleged that Misbah was forced to pick the duo of Akmal and Shehzad.

He said that Misbah was forced to bow to the pressures of ‘sifarish’ from “upper circles” high office. And he agreed to this in order to save his job. “Misbah preferred to save his job but the team lost,” he said according to Dawn.

Though their comebacks were much-hyped, their performances left much to be desired as both failed to justify their selection. The Senate Committee Chairman Sardar Yaqoob Nasar said Pakistan team’s defeat from a weakened Sri Lankan team was surprising.

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