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Babar Azam wanted to pick few players but they weren't selected: Shoaib Malik in a scathing attack on PCB

Coming down heavily upon Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for its faulty selection policies, former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik claimed that the players are selected on the basis of their contacts and not on their merits.

Babar Azam wanted to pick few players but they werent selected: Shoaib Malik in a scathing attack on PCB

Karachi, May 16: Coming down heavily upon Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for its faulty selection policies, former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik claimed that the players are selected on the basis of their contacts and not on their merits.

Malik (39), who retired from ODI cricket after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, last played for Pakistan in a T20I series against England in September last year.

Senior Pakistan journalist in a series of tweets quoted the right-handed batsman as saying, "We have a system of liking and disliking in our cricket, which is something that is present in the rest of the world as well but seems to be a bit more in our culture. The day things change in our cricket system where more importance is given to skills rather than who a person knows, only then will things improve."

Talking about the recent tour of Zimbabwe in which Babar Azam led the national side, Malik said there were quite a few players the captain had asked for but his request was turned down.

"In the recent squad there were many players who Babar wanted to pick, but they weren't selected. Everyone has their opinions but the final decision on selection should be that of the captain because it's he who will fight it out on the ground he with his team," Malik added.

Talking about his international career Malik said: "Whatever is in my fate is in the hands of the Almighty and not in any person's control. I will have no regrets if I am not asked to play again, but I would have felt more regret if I had not spoken up on behalf of my fellow cricketers."

Speaking about Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq, Malik claimed, "I'm not against Misbah, he was an excellent cricketer and a good human and I respect him a lot. But I feel Misbah needed more time and he should have been asked to coach at the domestic level and then maybe brought in as Pakistan coach.

"I played under many captains who would make their own bold decisions, these were guys like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul-Haq & Shahid Afridi. To be a captain & just please others will not work - they will never be happy & you won't last as captain," Malik - who played 35 Tests, 287 ODIs and 116 T20Is for Pakistan - concluded.

Story first published: Sunday, May 16, 2021, 19:29 [IST]
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