Mani’s Task Force’s role not good for Pak cricket: Baig

Extra burden resulting in Test team’s poor showISLAMABAD: Former member Senate Standing Committee on Sports Senator Enver Baig appealed to the Prime Minister Imran Khan against putting up extra burden of Task Force on the Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) resulting in Test team’s poor show in recent times.Talking to The News, Enver Baig was surprised the way PCB chairman Ehsan Mani was entrusted with duel responsibility that according to him even leaving bad impact on cricket. “PM should not over burden Ehsan Mani for revamping sports in Pakistan as Task Force head. Our Test cricket is in tatters mainly because Ehsan Mani started concentrating on other things rather than making necessary result oriented changes in the set up.”Senator Enver Baig claimed that performance of Test and one-day teams have gone from bad to worse. “Pakistan national team plays Test and one-dayers as if they just have 20 overs at their disposal. This attitude of batsmen is far from being professional. Cricket is one game in the country where a player gets all the required financial support, yet their performance is not up to the mark and there are absolutely no signs of improvement whatsoever.”Senator Baig also questioned the firing power of Pakistan bowlers. “Gone are the days when you required bowlers having the potential to bowl with the speed of around 135km/h. Now the requirement is to have at least two bowlers in the playing XI having the potential to bowl around 145km/h regularly. That is not the case with Pakistan Test team now resulting in poor away performances. Where Yasir Shah does not deliver, you need speedsters. Majority of bowlers and some senior players looked exhausted and overburden. There is a need to prepare the back up and to inculcate the element of professional in the team. Due to Mani’s pressing commitments, he has not been able to concentrate fully on the cricket. There is an urgent need to improve Test and one-day performance of national team. Batsmen are not delivering but nothing has been done so far.”Former member Senate Committee also raised questions over head coach Mickey Arthur’s utility with the Pakistan team. “It is the responsibility of the head coach to remove flaws of batsmen. On the contrary in recent times we have seen Pakistan batting line up falling like nine pins one after another. What then is the utility of coach if he has got no remedy of repeated failures? It is high time for Arthur to show his worth as a coach.”Senator Baig also raised question on the selection matters, saying that some of near and dear ones of selectors were still there despite repeated failures. “Those showing performances at domestic and back up team should be given the opportunity instead of near and dear ones.”He also expressed surprise over a recent statement of PCB Cricket Committee member Wasim Akram which said that there was no one to replace Sarfraz Ahmad as Test captain.“Wasim Akram is my favourite player but he said is surprising. Sarfraz as a captain is not indispensable. If that is the case I am afraid PCB has done nothing in recent times. If you don’t know who is to replace a failure as Test captain, it is your fault meaning it is the fault of PCB and anyone else.”Senator Enver Baig said these were the flaws and weaknesses which required urgent action.” Too committed Ehsan Mani requires concentrating on cricket flaws which are growing even bigger by each passing day. For Task Force, the government should consider other options.”

from The News International - Sports http://bit.ly/2H9EKXD