ISLAMABAD - Former Pakistan pacer Sarfraz Nawaz lauded Rahat Ali's inclusion in the Pakistan World Cup squad as replacement of injured fast bowler Junaid Khan.
Talking to The Nation, Sarfraz, who is inventor of reverse swing bowling, said: “Rahat bowled superbly with excellent line and length and he was very consistent against both Australia and New Zealand in the Test matches and he deserves to be included in the World Cup squad.”
He said it was a wonderful edition and he would be a wonderful strike partner with M Irfan. “The team was in dire need of an effective fast bowler after the injury of Junaid, but now the inclusion of Rahat will strengthen the bowling department.”
“I am quite surprised the team management and PCB didn’t yet announce the status of Wahab Riaz, whether he is injured or whatever, why he, if fit, is not considered for the two One-dayers the green caps had played against New Zealand. The PCB must clarify the exact situation about Wahab as masses are already very upset with the team's performance so far and they must be informed about the real inside picture,” he added.
“Wahab must be included in the two warm-up matches prior to the world cup, while Sohail Khan, Ehsan Adil, Rahat Ali and Yasir Shah must be included in the playing XIm, as it will help the team management in finalising the right bowling combination for the crunch Indian match. If the management is thinking on the lines of playing with three fast bowlers then Irfan is the automatic selection along with Rahat Ali and if Wahab is fit, there will be a huge gamble as all of them are left-arm fast bowlers. Then they have to choose between Ehsan Adil and Sohail Khan, if they want to include a right arm fast bowler,” Sarfraz asserted.
“Majority of teams include left-arm leg spinners or right-arm off spinners in their ranks, but we don't have this luxury. The selectors have completely ignored these options. We also don't have any genuine all-rounder, which will badly affect the balance of the squad. The team selection doesn't look like as per set standards for the event like world cup. The PCB has announced that chief selector Moin Khan is strictly banned from entering the players’ dressing room, then what is the purpose of sending him with the contingent, almost Rs 5 million were spent on his tour along other perks and privileges,” the ex-pacer said.
Sarfraz questioned why whopping Rs 30 million were approved for the expenditures on the joyride of governing body members along with their wives on world cup tour. “What is the purpose of allocating/wasting such huge amount on such certain individuals, while this amount could be donated to APS victims or used other meaningful purposes?”
“If Prime Minister Mian M Nawaz Sharif, who is also PCB patron-in-chief, has given approval to all these expenditures, then I am disappointed under the present circumstances of the country. If no such approval was taken for governing board joyriders, then the PM's authority has been challenged and he must take action against the PCB for giving approval for huge expenditures. At a time when PCB is facing financial obligations as not a single international series or event is being conducted in the country, at one end players were offered extension of only three-month contracts, which was displayed and highlighted by the international media, which brought embarrassment for the team, but on the other hand, a huge national kitty is being wasted on personal perks and privileges of board officials and joyrides,” he said.
“PCB COO Subhan Ahmed passes on a number of incentives and favours to governing board members and then cashes on with personal favours. Such practices should be stopped immediately, as Subhan is heading strong mafia in the PCB, which was also indicated by Najam Sethi to me during a meeting. In the governing body meeting, he opposed sending Ali Zia as manager of U-17 team to UAE, but before he reached office, the announcement was made public,” Sarfraz claimed.
“If the prime minister doesn’t take immediate action, I will be left with no other option but to go to the court of law to ensure justice to be done and instead of wasting money of the players on joyriders, it must be spent on the wellbeing of the players,” Sarfraz concluded.