ISLAMABAD - Former Pakistan head coach Mohsin Hassan Khan has said that if the selectors chose best available options and ensure all-out attack, they can inflict whitewash on the West Indies.

Talking to The Nation on Saturday, former chief selector Mohsin said: “Now comes another test when Pakistan face West Indies, which we all know is not as competitive, which it was once, but the selectors must not relax and must come up with best available options and ensure all-out attack if they want to whitewash West Indian side.”

Speaking about Pakistan team performance against England in the One-Day International (ODI) series, Mohsin said: “Pakistan team looked highly under pressure in the ODI series, reasons best known to the coach and team management. There is no doubt England was a good side but Pakistan team was also a well-balanced side and had the services of worlds’ best players. Had the coach utilised them accordingly, the things could have been far different.

“We had witnessed that the green caps were outclassed in the first four ODIs, but their body language was completely different in the fifth and last ODI, where they played like champions and completely outclassed Englishmen in all the departments of the game. Pakistani players badly missed that touch in the first four matches of the series,” he added.

Mohsin said that it was a clear game plan witnessed and Azhar Ali marshalled his troops quite well and registered a morale-boosting victory. “If we can give time and chances to the coaches, players and officials, then I want to know one simple thing, why the PCB is reluctant to give more time to Azhar Ali as ODI skipper.

“In my personal opinion, he is a class act and a super player and has ability to transform the team into winning unit, if he is provided with backing and much-needed confidence. One or two series are not enough to judge the caliber of a player as captaining the team is never easy job, skipper had to carry forward extra pressure, utilising options takes some time, Azhar must be given some time, h along with Sarfraz are natural talent and both could achieve more than desired results for the country in short span of time,” he added.

Mohsin said that Sarfraz’ abilities as a player and captain was not a secret. “Sarfraz is a wonderful talent and his skills are beyond a doubt, but I still like to see both Azhar and Sarfraz working together as they can groom alongside each other. Sarfraz rotated his bowling options superbly and result was quite evident, but I strongly feel, rather than only one T20 International, there should have been at least three T20 matches, which could have provided Sarfraz time and opportunity to showcase his skills accordingly.”

He said it was highly impressive and commanding performance by the young guns in the one-off T20 international. “The boys displayed quality cricket and the way Sarfraz handled the pressure was amazing. At one time, England were looking all set to score a huge total when the openers were hitting and Root was also enjoying great form, but Sarfraz simply looked magician when he utilised his options amazingly. While it was a butchered performance from Sharjeel and Khalid, as they just blew away English bowlers and I am quite sure, if Pakistan had to even chase a target of 200 plus, they could have easily achieved that too.

“Prior to the England tour, I had predicted that Pakistan had a very good bunch of talent but the only need was to enter the match with right combination and playing XI should have been according to the situation, which they did in the Test series and T20 match but not in the ODI series and the result was in front of everyone,” Mohsin concluded.