cricket

Updated: Mar 20, 2020 08:32 IST

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad is same off the field as he was on the field, straight forward and impactful. One of the most successful batsmen to have come out of Pakistan, Miandad on Wednesday tore into the Pakistan Cricket Board for giving a long rope to ‘non-performing’ players, saying that no player from the current Pakistan side can find a place in teams like Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, and India.

“I want to ask them is there anyone from Pakistan who can replace players in teams like Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, and India?

“None of our batsmen can play in these teams. We have bowlers but none in the batting line-up.

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“This world runs on a daily basis and wages. Score runs today, take the money and go. Score runs tomorrow then we will again pay you money. You are a professional, if you don’t work or score runs then why take money? This is the job of the Pakistan Cricket Board. They need to ensure that nobody takes the cricket team for granted,” Miandad said in his Youtube channel.

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Miandad was speaking in reply to Pakistan batsman Ahmed Shahzad’s comments about being ready to represent Pakistan for another 12 years.

“Bearing in mind my fitness and skills, I think I can represent Pakistan for another 12 years and that is not an exaggeration,” Shahzad had told Cricket Pakistan in an exclusive interview.

“Why 12 years? You can play for 20 years I guarantee you that but you need to perform. If you perform daily nobody will drop you from the side. Players get dropped when they don’t perform or succumb to pressure,” said Miandad, who had scored 8832 runs in 124 Tests and 7381 runs in 233 ODIs for Pakistan.

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“Players should not give such irresponsible statements and instead let their performance do the talking on the field,” Miandad added.

Further taking a dig at Pakistan’s cricket policies, Miandad said Pakistan is the only team that picks players on the basis of their past performances.

“Countries like England and Australia pick squads on a series to series to basis. They forget even if you have scored 500 runs in the previous series. Pakistan is the only team where you get 10 innings after scoring hundred. People keep failing but there is no concern, which is why the team has so many problems.

“Take India for example. They score 70, 80, 100 and 200 that’s called performance but none from our team can play in top-class sides of the world,” Miandad added.