Pakistan’s head of the selection committee Inzamam-ul-Haq has lashed out at the team for their dismal performance in the ongoing tour to New Zealand. The legendary cricketer feels that the margin of defeats has been pretty alarming for the men in green.
The Men in Green have already lost the five-match ODI series against the Kiwis after losing the first three matches that too by comprehensive margins. On Saturday, they lost teh third ODI by a huge margin of 74 a83 runs as they were bowled out for a meager total of 74. In the remaining two matches, while New Zealand may look to experiment with other players, Pakistan will be playing for pride.
talking about Pakistan Inzamam said that the team is not playing to their true potential. As quoted in Cricket 365, he said: “Obviously we are all disappointed at the manner in which the team capitulated on Saturday. Selectors had picked the best available squad of players and the core of them won the ICC Champions Trophy only six months ago.”
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The lateral movement in New Zealand conditions had made the life difficult for the Pakistani batsmen on the pitch in front of the Kiwi attack comprising of stalwarts like Tim Southee and Trent Boult. Apart from swing, these pitches also have some ferocious pace and bounce which have proved to be too much for the Pakistan side to deal with.
talking about the same, Inzi said, “No doubt the pitches in New Zealand are tough for most touring teams because it takes time to adjust to the conditions there.”
However, Pakistani cricketers like Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Shadab Khan and Rumman Raees were facing such conditions for the first time, but on the other hand, players like Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Khan, and Azhar Ali weren’t new to such conditions and their performances are more matter of concern for the chief selector.
“I always maintain it is no disgrace when you lose a game but to be not playing to potential is something that is unacceptable. What has disturbed us the most is that the experienced lot has not been able to perform so far and that’s not a good sign,” the former skipper added.
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The Pakistan legend is looking forward to Pakistan making a strong comeback in the series in the remaining two ODIs followed by the three-match T20I series. The final two ODIs will be played on Tuesday and Friday while the T20I series starts on 22 January.
Inzamam concluded by talking about the chances of Pakistan’s comeback, he said, “Pakistan can still make a comeback in the remaining of the One Day International series and have an even chance of winning of the T20I series as of New Zealand.”
