'This will ruin his confidence' - Mudassar Nazar lashes out at PCB over Azam Khan's 'unfair treatment'

Former Pakistan all-rounder Mudassar Nazar has asked for a resignation letter from the chief selector Mohammad Wasim over the unfair treatment meted out to Azam Khan. Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selectors announced the revised 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup. The selectors included Sarfaraz Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, and Haider Ali in the team and have excluded Azam Khan, Khushdil Shah, and Mohammad Hasnain.

PCB had originally announced its 15-member on September 4, which had become a hot topic of discussion among experts, critics and fans. The inclusion of few youngsters in the team over a few experienced players didn’t go too well with many former Pakistan cricketers. Now, the PCB have gone back to experience and have added Ahmed and Zaman for the global event.

Nazar is not impressed by the turn of events and feels Azam Khan has been let down by the selection committee. “Azam Khan was made fun of for his selection. After that, the selection committee has decided to drop him and ruin his confidence. This is unfair treatment,” Nazar told Express News.

Azam Khan didn’t deserve this treatment: Mudassar Nazar

The former Pakistan all-rounder further opined that if the selectors have made such a drastic U-turn, then their initial selection is wrong in the first place. “There is no doubt that Pakistan’s team has strengthened following the changes but that does not mean Azam Khan deserved this treatment. I think Shahnawaz Dahani should have also been included,” Nazar added.

Azam Khan shot into the limelight in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) due to his six-hitting prowess. Later the PCB selectors included him in the team for a limited-overs series against England and West Indies. An untimely injury during the Caribbean tour cut short his progress. And now, after being included in the original 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup, he has been dropped.

Apart from Azam Khan, the selectors have also dropped Khushdil Shah to reserves and Mohammad Hasnain from the squad. The inclusion of Zaman and Ahmed lends solidity in the batting order. The duo also brings in a fair amount of experience to the team. Haider Ali is included in the team due to his ability to score briskly. Pakistan cricket team will depart to the UAE on October 15.