Twitter lashes out at Misbah-ul-Haq for selecting Australia aspirant Usman Qadir in Pakistan T20I team

The past few months have been absolutely abysmal for Pakistan Cricket. After their disappointing exit from the 2019 World Cup where they failed to qualify for the semi-finals, sweeping changes were made to their set-up. The selection committee led by former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and the entire coaching panel that consisted of Head Coach Mickey Arthur, batting coach Grant Flower and bowling coach Azhar Mahmood were ousted.

Consequently, in what as a pretty unprecedented move, former captain Misbah-ul-Haq was given the triple responsibility of a head coach, chief selector as well as the batting coach while former head coach, Waqar Younis made his entry into the set-up for the third time; this time as a bowling coach.

Pakistan’s first international assignment after the World Cup under a new set-up was scheduled to be against Sri Lanka in front of their own people. Sri Lanka’s marquee players like Lasith Malinga, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, and Angelo Matthews had refused to travel to the terror-savaged country, meaning that the visitors had to field an inexperienced side for the 3-match ODI and Twenty20 series.

But, little had Pakistan or even Sri Lanka realized that the exuberance of youth will trump them. And, trump they would by a 0-3 margin. Naturally following the 0-3 whitewash on home soil, Misbah and skipper Sarfaraz came under the scanner with fans, pundits criticizing everything from team selections to fitness to the role of Sarfaraz as a leader. Consequently, another sweeping change was made and Ahmed was not only stripped of the captaincy but was also dropped from both the white-ball and red-ball setups.

Usman Qadir selection leaves Twitter dumbfounded

Azhar Ali was made the Test captain while white-ball vice-captain and the No.1 ranked T20I batsman, Babar Azam was handed over the reins of the T20I side. Pakistan is due to tour Australia for a three-match T20I series which will be followed by a two ICC Test Championship matches. In keeping with the trends, Pakistan has made a plethora of changes in both of their Test and T20I set-up. The most surprising or controversial is the selection of leg-spinner Usman Qadir- son of Late Great leg-spinner Abdul Qadir in T20I team.

Many fans have been left confused with the inclusion of Usman Qadir in the squad, who many believed was eyeing to represent Australia. Qadir who had previously represented PM XI in Australia had stated on multiple occasions in the past that he aims to play for Australia in the 2020 T20 World Cup. However, the Pakistani selectors have included him for the T20I series against Australia after Babar Azam became the captain.

Here’s how Twitter reacted

Travesty of justice – a player who never aspired to play for Pakistan gets a place but a player @iamfawadalam25 who aspired to play doesn't! While Captain gets the axe as a bait for blame which was really on selector! Nepotism & ethnocentric provincialism! https://t.co/9oUfWngZFm

— Farooq (@FarooqSidd84) October 22, 2019

usman qadir ko kyun slect kya ha???kya perfrmenc ha uski???
zahid mehmood ka haq tha jo ke wo hi kya gya ha jo hota arha ha.shame on u misbha

— Mohsin Shaikh 14 (@MohsinShaikh141) October 21, 2019

September 2018: “No more Pakistan. I want to play for Australia definitely, 100 per cent.”
October 2019: Selected to play for Pakistan v Australia.

Usman Qadir on verge of stunning backflip https://t.co/QUZC6d66Dn via @theage @Qadircricketer #AUSvPAK @PakPassion

— Daniel Cherny 📰 (@DanielCherny) October 22, 2019

Also Usman Qadir?? Wasn't he going to play for Aus. Guy didn't even played PSL and is now part of the T20 Team.

— . (@OnlyLeohasmore) October 21, 2019

Another story of favoritism begins. #Sarfaraz was removed because Misbah and Waqar didn't like him. Usman Qadir, a friend of Babar Azam, just made it into the team when Babar became captain. It's not too far when his cousins Kamran and Umar Akmal make a comeback, again. pic.twitter.com/I69FtHh590

— Rant Maker (@Shaharyaaaaar) October 21, 2019

We select players who don't value playing for this nation.. Usman Qadir who bashed Pakistan is now in playing 11 on the other hand players like Fawad Alam are working hard and values playing for nation and yet still not getting any chance

— JAFFA 🇵🇰 (@jafferhussain9) October 21, 2019

Usman Qadir seriously? The guy was dispatched all over the park in the last BBL. Can only bowl poor flighted deliveries

— Ugly Ranter (@_UglyRants) October 21, 2019

So they selected Usman Qadir who had just 4 wickets in 3 matches instead of Zahid Mahmood who picked up 8 wickets in 4 matches. Misbah bhai 🙏

— Shahzaib Ali 🇵🇰 (@DSBcricket) October 21, 2019

Is Usman Qadir already an Australian citizen?

Scenes if CA pick him, too. Cricket could do with a tug of war like that.

— Danyal Rasool (@Danny61000) October 21, 2019