Karachi: There is serious trouble brewing for skipper Shoaib Malik and coach Geoff Lawson following Pakistan team’s biggest-ever defeat against India. The 140-run defeat on Tuesday left Pakistan Cricket Board’s chairman Dr Naseem Ashraf fuming. Under tremendous pressure from the Senate on the team’s performance and cricket affairs, the PCB chief has sent a strong-worded email to the Pakistan cricket team.
The email, a copy of which is with cricketnirvana.com, blasts the team’s abject surrender to arch-rivals India.
“Last night’s performance against India in which we lost by over 100 runs was embarrassing. It is not a question of losing a match but our overall performance and the lack of resolve and commitment bothered me the most,” PCB chairman Naseem Ashraf wrote in the email to manager Talat Ali, also copied to coach Geoff Lawson and captain Shoaib Malik.
“I am writing this to you in your capacity as chairman of the touring selection committee (Talat Ali) with copies to Geoff Lawson and Malik. Please discuss these points today and give us your considered response within the next 24 hours so that timely action can be taken before the next match against India on the 14th which will be the final.”
The main bone of contention has been over the non-inclusion of a regular spinner in the squad.
Excerpts of the letter:
1. Selection of the playing eleven for this match against India: The previous game against Bangladesh had clearly highlighted the characteristics of the track in Dhaka that the spinners were going to play a crucial role. The team selected for the India game had four fast bowlers. Also, you clearly told me that Malik was 100 per cent fit and therefore was the second spinner in the side. What happened to that? Why did Malik not bowl?
Malik, with over 100 ODI wickets, did not come on to bowl. The reason: he was reported for illegal action by the same match referee Jeff Crowe in 2005-06.
Ashraf also criticized the batting slump and the inability to restore the innings once it was rocked by the triple strike from Praveen Kumar.
2. After the Indian opening pair started to hit us all over the park in the first 3 to 4 overs, it was fairly obvious that something needed to be done to break their momentum. We dropped some catches in the beginning as well but, watching from here, one felt that we were paralysed in the field. Nobody suggested to the captain that he must have a mini-conference with the vice-captain and other players — junior or senior — and take corrective action. Even the commentators were talking as to the possibility of changing the bowling and bringing in Shahid Afridi at an early stage.”
3. Even if that was not the strategy, at least the fast bowlers should have been advised not to over extend themselves (more than 22 wides and a total of 38 extras) on a track like this. Rather, they should have been instructed to bowl strictly to a line and length and to contain especially when the batsmen were in such full cry. It seemed as if we were just continuing with tactics that were clearly not working! We need to be more proactive on the field!”
4. Wicket keeping was pathetic, especially after Kamran Akmal dropped the catch and pretended that he had held on to it. This is unsporting behaviour but perhaps one has to give him the benefit of the doubt as he may not have realised that the ball had slipped out from his hand, which was picked up by the cameras. I do not want such behaviour from any Pakistani player. Please warn everyone! We ought to be looking at playing another ‘keeper'.
5. Except for a few on the field, the body language was not competitive. We were smiling and joking as if we were some junior team which was happy just to be given the privilege of playing a top team. This has to stop.
6. As I said earlier, the fast bowlers were just trying too hard on a dead track, resulting in wayward line and length. If you look at Sehwag run map, he almost had 50 runs on the leg side which is something that he has never done in the past.
7. The positives were that Afridi bowled very well and Malik got his 50 but then Afridi threw his wicket away in a most irresponsible manner.
8. At least our strategy after losing early wickets should have been to bat out the 50 overs. No one applied themselves to build partnerships,” the chairman argued.
“I can go on with a lot of other match details and analysis but this should be enough.”
Giving his suggestions for the expected final on Saturday, the chairman wrote:
a) The touring selection committee needs to have a meeting and decide regarding the playing 11 i.e. how many spinners and who?
b) Malik must undergo a complete fitness test with regards to his bowling tomorrow so as to determine clearly whether he can bowl full 10 overs.
c) If the touring committee decides that they want to ask for another spinner from Pakistan, you can decide and let us know immediately so we can arrange for the player to join the team. It could either be a left-arm spinner or another right-arm spinner.
d) The bowlers should work extra hard for the next two days and correct their no-balls and wides. This is simply unacceptable and the coach must address this.
“I intend to reach Dhaka on Saturday, Inshallah, at noon time and would like to have a meeting first with you, the captain, the coach and the vice-captain immediately, and then later in the evening a meeting with the full team. Please get back to us by calling me with your decision regarding the spinner, etc.
The concluding remarks, though, were pacifying.
“I have full confidence that we can beat India on the 14th if we get our act together, Inshallah. May God be with you all.”
Clearly the pressure is on Malik and Lawson to get their act together but a Bangladesh win on Thursday would mean that Pakistan will not get that chance to rectify the faults pointed out by their boss.
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