Afridi has been banned for two T 20 matches after being found guilty of ball tampering. PCB Chairman, Ejaz Butt, has turned down the resignation of Chief Selector, Iqbal Qasim, and constituted an inquiry committee to evaluate the side’s poor performance in Australia.
Talking to media Wasim Bari, the COO of PCB, said a full-time analysis was needed and corrective measures would be taken. On the other hand, disappointed, Iqbal Qasim, is unwilling to continue as Chief Selector. Talking to a website, Iqbal Qasim, said he was very disappointed by the side’s poor performance and clearly a major surgery was required for better future. The director general of PCB, Javed Miandad, is of the view that mismanagement is at its peak in cricket board hence disciplinary issues are taking place.

Despite all these activities and statements, the fact is that the fates of PCB Chairman, Ijaz Butt; coach, Intikhab Aalam; CEO, Wasim Bari; and Captain, M. Yousuf, are yet to be decided. The T-20 world cup is just two months away and after it Pakistan will again face Australia in England for test and one day series. No one knows how and who will put the derailed train of Pakistani cricket on track?

When Pakistani team was leaving for Australia, experts and ex-cricketers were expecting something extraordinary, as after 1995 it was the first occasion when Pakistan had some upper edge over Australia. There was no big name in Australian bowling attack and injured but firm Ricky Ponting was only major threat to Pakistan. It may be mentioned that Australia is the same place where Imran Khan lifted the World Cup in 1992, Sarfraz Nawaz lonely destroyed the Australian team by grabbing nine wickets in Melbourne and Wasim Akram was the winner of World Series Cup in 99-2000. So, what went wrong this time?

First, Mohammad Yousuf was appointed captain accidently as after Younis’ resignation he was the best available option. Throughout the series unfortunately Yousuf, who is the best batsman of the side, could not inspire anyone from his defensive mode of captaincy. In Sydney, when Pakistan was too close to victory the amazing field placement by Yousuf amazed everyone including Michael Hussey, who scored century in the same innings. The involvement of captain in the match and right decision at right time is the basic responsibility of the captain. Unfortunately, Yousuf could not do that and paid the price.

Poor fielding is the second main reason for the shameful defeat. Dropping catches is not a new practice but to drop three catches of one player, Hussey, is rarely seen in the past. In a television interview, Rashid Latif revealed that Kamran Akmal was on No 7 in wicket keeping camp under his supervision. Rashid advised the PCB to send Kamran back in academy for training but the board did not follow his advice. Pakistani fielders dropped 25 catches in the last six test matches. One can easily understand the outcome of these drop catches. Waqar Younis, who was sent to Australia as fielding coach, could not bring any change, as in third test Aamir dropped Ponting on zero and after it Australian captain scored a double century.
Lack of discipline was another key issue and it exposed when Kamran Akmal stressed, despite management’s decision to drop him, that he would play the third test and everyone in and abroad was keen to know till last moment that who will play in Adelaide? Whether Sarfraz Ahmed or Kamran Akmal. And then in last one day what Shahid Afridi did with the ball was enough to expose the management’s grip on players.
Throughout the tour, selectors made some amazing decision. First they selected Sarfraz and Fawad for the tour and then sent them back to the country. Reversing their own decision, Sarfraz Ahmed was called back and Fawad also for one day series. One is unable to understand why Mohammad Sami and Khurram Manzoor were dropped for one day series despite their good performances in Sydney and Adelaide tests respectively?
In last, the good performance of under -19 cricket team in New Zealand is a strong indication of better future of cricket in Pakistan.