Former Pakistani Test team skipper Javed Miandad has claimed that the national team selectors approach in the World Cup is 'mind boggling' questioned why they promoted beleaguered Younis Khan as an opener.
Pakistan lost their Cricket World Cup opener by 76 runs to arch-rivals India on Sunday at the Adelaide Oval, and Miandad believes that it was because of the selectors 'experimenting' with the team.
Miandad wrote in his column for The Dawn that in big matches, a team field its best playing XI and they do not experiment. He added that Pakistan, unfortunately, never remember this simple formula, adding that the much-hyped match between Pakistan and India turned out to be an 'easy outing' for the men in blue on a batting paradise in Adelaide.
The 76-run emphatic victory lifted India's record to 6-0 against Pakistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup and Pakistan might have to wait for another four years to break this jinx.
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Miandad claimed that it was nothing but 'mind-boggling team selection' that shocked millions of its fans around the world, questioning the 'rocket science logic' of promoting Younis Khan as an opener. He also demanded the logic of leaving out specialist wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed when he could also bat aggressively.
The former skipper claimed that it was like 'pushing the panic button' before the start of an all-important event like the World Cup. Miandad claimed that to me, it seems that the Pakistan team management is 'confused where its strength lies', adding that it wants to bat deep down to number eight and also doesn't want to miss out on the sixth bowler.
Miandad insisted that he is 'afraid' that's not the 'right approach' in big tournaments.
