Pakistan Cricket news/views

[Fusion]

It was a joke.

I know Saeed's story and how he turned to religion, what he experienced is probably the biggest fear for any parent. I like Saeed immensely and have a lot of respect for what he did as a player and even more for his belief. If all of us who believe in god can be like him, the world would be a much better place.

I know you were making a joke. It just reminded me of the issue I posted about. In reference to Anwar, I have no qualms with his approach toward religion. He seems like a very likable guy. In fact he was in Houston this year and I heard nothing but nice things from fans who ran into him.

As far as the emphasis of religion in the Pakistani team, it's fine as long as it doesn't go to extremes. My personal opinion is that during the Inzi years it did cross the boundary into "extreme".

 

[Xuhaib]

I know you were making a joke. It just reminded me of the issue I posted about. In reference to Anwar, I have no qualms with his approach toward religion. He seems like a very likable guy. In fact he was in Houston this year and I heard nothing but nice things from fans who ran into him.

As far as the emphasis of religion in the Pakistani team, it's fine as long as it doesn't go to extremes. My personal opinion is that during the Inzi years it did cross the boundary into "extreme".

Frrom what I have heard its Bob Woolmer who encouraged it since he felt for a mecurial side like Pakistan religon can bring a lot of stability and improve team unity.

 

[nightprowler10]

Frrom what I have heard its Bob Woolmer who encouraged it since he felt for a mecurial side like Pakistan religon can bring a lot of stability and improve team unity.

I've read Woolmer's quotes implying that as well. Personally I feel a little uncomfortable with it as it could alienate non-Muslims in the team (just Kaneria now?). There are 10 Hindus in my cricket squad of 13 and I think I'd feel a little awkward if they all started taking a hardline religious approach towards everything to do with cricket.

 

[Naumaan]

if Saeed Anwer gets this job, i guess he can teach guys like butt to play a bit quick for the team & guys like Imran nazir that runs can be scored in singles also

 

[Fusion]

Yousaf named Captain for NZ tour.

This is idiotic. I'm even more frustrated with Younis now. Not only is the team going to be without its true Captain for the tour, but possibly its best batsman as well. Also, let's just say that the team does great and wins the Test series. All that's going to do is cause even more controversy about who should be the Captain long term. I'm getting tired of this "I want the job/No I don't want the job" act. I realize this time he is just temporarily stepping aside, but the adverse effect on the team balance is still negative. Kamran Abbasi sums up my feelings in his blog from cricinfo below:



Younis makes no sense


Younis Khan has withdrawn from the tour of New Zealand requesting a break from cricket. This is nonsensical. Pakistan have barely broken sweat over the last two years. Younis has just won a pivotal power struggle to secure the captaincy. Pakistan require some consistency, not flip-flopping, and regular changes in leadership create inconsistency and doubt. The team needs to build its form and strategies for the big challenge of an Australian tour.

Moreover, Younis' mixed messages have become baffling. As much as many fans believe him to be the right choice as captain, he either wants the job badly enough to stick with it through thick and thin or should he give it up? The problem for Pakistan is that there are few genuine alternatives, and the selection of Mohammad Yousuf as stand-in captain underlines Pakistan's poverty of resources.

All the Pakistan fans who recently supported Younis against the establishment, like me, will be bemused, disappointed, and let down by his decision.

 

[Sanz]

Younis Khan is a joke and an attention seeker.

 

[social]

Younis Khan is a joke and an attention seeker.

As opposed to the alternatives (a mercenary or a cheat)

Glad that Pakistan won the T20 at it came at a good time for cricket and the country but I honestly couldnt care whether they ever win another match with the current bunch as they are all as bad as each other

 

[StumpMic]

Yousaf named Captain for NZ tour.

This is idiotic. I'm even more frustrated with Younis now. Not only is the team going to be without its true Captain for the tour, but possibly its best batsman as well. Also, let's just say that the team does great and wins the Test series. All that's going to do is cause even more controversy about who should be the Captain long term.

Its the smartest move. Yousuf deserves the captaincy because he is the best of the rest. I don't understand your point about the team missing its best batsman? Yousuf is the best not younis. This move will set up Yousuf for taking over the captaincy in the long run. It will bring stability to that aspect of the team and save us from the drama of Younis Khan.

I'm getting tired of this "I want the job/No I don't want the job" act. I realize this time he is just temporarily stepping aside, but the adverse effect on the team balance is still negative. Kamran Abbasi sums up my feelings in his blog from cricinfo below:

On the one hand you think appointing Yousuf is idiotic and on the other you complain about how indecisive Younis is. Younis doesn't have his head straight. He doesn't deserve to be the captain.

 

[Uppercut]

What kind of team is it when nine players go behind the captain's back to try to make him lose his job?

 

[StumpMic]

What kind of team is it when nine players go behind the captain's back to try to make him lose his job?

Well I haven't been following the latest drama with the Pak team so not sure exactly what you mean but what difference does it make if they did? Mutinies are common in Pak cricket. Anyway younis doesn't deserve to be the captain because he keeps quitting over every little thing. He was a bad choice from the start. People just won't admit it because they don't like the alternative - yousuf.

 

[nightprowler10]

What kind of team is it when nine players go behind the captain's back to try to make him lose his job?

Haha, are you serious?

 

[Uppercut]

Ohh you don't think I'm implying that I genuinely think they deliberately played badly, right?

 

[nightprowler10]

Ohh you don't think I'm implying that I genuinely think they deliberately played badly, right?

Haha, not the point I was making. I guess you're just not that familiar with Pakistan's history with captaincy troubles.

 

[Faisal1985]

A leader never jumps off a sinking ship, he goes down with it. Younis just jumped off leaving this team in the middle.

I don't personally believe that our players and that too 9 of them deliberately lost the game. I do however, know that Malik, Akmal, Razzaq are against YK. As much as people say Afridi is also involved, i don't believe that. Afridi may be a brainless jerk in the field, but he is not the political type. The way Malik was playing irrational strokes was evident that he threw away his wicket, same with Akmal. However the remainder of the team fell to some great fielding and superb bowling.

As far as YK is concerned, i think he has made the right decision to back off because he does not have solid support from the players. I feel for him as i feel that he was on his way to turn this young team in to a very strong international side. He faced a lot of opposition for his decisions which at times were illogical but you might wanna call it the learning curve. He certainly learned how to use his bowlers, but his batsmen just did not support him. I truly feel bad for him, because for once we had an honest captain, who was honest to his team, regardless of his poor decisions on several occasions. For me integrity and pride for playing in your country's colors holds a lot more weight then simply losing due to politics and selfishness. If we lose, no matter how terribly or horribly we lose but i want to see the pride of playing in Pak colors, i want to see integrity and honesty in the team players...Younis to me was an honest man.

Mohammad Yousuf's lack of confidence and leadership quality can be judged from what he did after being appointed captain. He called Inzi for consultations...

I hate to say it, but Pak cricket's future is looking very bleak and dull. In my honest and heart breaking opinion our cricket is headed for the same destination that our hockey went. Not because of anyone's fault, not because of ICC, or BCCI or anyone, but for our on mistakes and our own dark intentions......

 

[Fusion]

On the one hand you think appointing Yousuf is idiotic and on the other you complain about how indecisive Younis is. Younis doesn't have his head straight. He doesn't deserve to be the captain.

You seem to have completely missed my point. I stated that I’m tired of Younis’ act and that in fact he doesn’t deserve the captaincy. I actually felt this way about him for a long time. His last drama act to hand in his resignation after the CT only reaffirmed my views about him. However, that fact that he doesn’t deserve to be captain doesn’t take away from the fact that he was the most qualified to be one. This lack of stability at the crucial post will be detrimental to Pakistan cricket. I have no idea why you think Yousaf makes a good choice. He’s as prone to being a drama queen as Younis. I see no stability in his reign. And frankly speaking, I don’t see great leadership qualities in him. I hope to be proven wrong.

 

[AaronK]

I am still backing younis in this thing.. some peopl think that younis should have stayed and fight.. how could he.. he had 9 players who was against him? how could u make a team when more than half of the team is against you and play for their ego rather for their team and country? i think PCB should have sacked shoaib malik.. his performance has been bellow average and despite that he has been creating all these rift out of jealusy..

 

[Uppercut]

Haha, not the point I was making. I guess you're just not that familiar with Pakistan's history with captaincy troubles.

No, I am, but it doesn't make it any less unprofessional.

 

[Faisal1985]

I am still backing younis in this thing.. some peopl think that younis should have stayed and fight.. how could he.. he had 9 players who was against him? how could u make a team when more than half of the team is against you and play for their ego rather for their team and country? i think PCB should have sacked shoaib malik.. his performance has been bellow average and despite that he has been creating all these rift out of jealusy..

You have a good point. However, its important to understand why YK left. Whether his performance was part of the reason or not i really don't care. When he handed in his resignation the reason was to "force" PCB to discipline certain players. The biggest problem that is still present in India and Pakistan is that of selecting favoritism. There is a lot of discrimination against players for that reason. PCB even if they wanted to could not have "disciplined" certain players who have very strong connections in the PCB upper management. Whether YK was a good captain/ bad captain, or a good batsman or a bad batsman is not the issue here. The issue is the integrity of the man.

He is an honest guy, honest to himself and honest to the people. This is his nature. I have met him in person in Toronto and i can tell you that this guy is the only one who would play for his country, the rest of the team is more inclined towards making sure they stay in the team.

He lost the war for sure....because it was him alone against a giant and corrupt PCB who constantly brings back the same batsmen who have failed miserably. Who can justify me the selections of Imran Farhat and Salman Butt? Based on what did they return back to the international side when you have a batsman in Misbah who just wacked 200+ in a domestic game?

Its politics/corruption and even though i am a Pakistani, i am not scared to say what is wrong. YK is out because of his honesty........and yes he fell.....


I miss him already......lol

 

[nightprowler10]

No, I am, but it doesn't make it any less unprofessional.

I think my attempts at making fun of my team have been pretty futile here. I'll leave now.

 

[AaronK]

You have a good point. However, its important to understand why YK left. Whether his performance was part of the reason or not i really don't care. When he handed in his resignation the reason was to "force" PCB to discipline certain players. The biggest problem that is still present in India and Pakistan is that of selecting favoritism. There is a lot of discrimination against players for that reason. PCB even if they wanted to could not have "disciplined" certain players who have very strong connections in the PCB upper management. Whether YK was a good captain/ bad captain, or a good batsman or a bad batsman is not the issue here. The issue is the integrity of the man.

He is an honest guy, honest to himself and honest to the people. This is his nature. I have met him in person in Toronto and i can tell you that this guy is the only one who would play for his country, the rest of the team is more inclined towards making sure they stay in the team.

He lost the war for sure....because it was him alone against a giant and corrupt PCB who constantly brings back the same batsmen who have failed miserably. Who can justify me the selections of Imran Farhat and Salman Butt? Based on what did they return back to the international side when you have a batsman in Misbah who just wacked 200+ in a domestic game?

Its politics/corruption and even though i am a Pakistani, i am not scared to say what is wrong. YK is out because of his honesty........and yes he fell.....


I miss him already......lol

i don't undestand what u r trying to say.. r u agreeing with me?

i understand that younis is honest and humble cricketer...that is why despite what many people are saying here.. i support him..

Off course the PCB has been corupted for years now..i still don't understand.. why they are letting shoaib malik have that much authority in the team despite his performance being bellow average..

i have a feeling that malik will sabotage Yousuf.. considering their history if Malik is allowed to have the same authority and power in the team..