Moin backs Inzi’s decision to rest Sarfraz

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain and Quetta Gladiators coach Moin Khan on Saturday gave his thumb up for the decision of the national selection committee to rest skipper Sarfarz Ahmed for the five-match One-day International Series against Australia starting at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from March 22.However he was quick to add that as he was an announced captain for the ICC World Cup 2019 so he should be present at the UAE and should be part of every major decision of the team. “Every that decision is appropriate which is made through mutual consensus. I don’t think the national selection committee would have taken the decision of resting Sarfraz without taking his input,” Moin told a pre-match news conference here at National Stadium on Saturday.“What I know is that Sarfraz has played a lot of cricket during the last five months and he needs a rest. I support the decision of resting him. It would have been good had he been playing against Australia. But if not, at least, his presence in the UAE is necessary and his input is necessary in every major decision of the team,” Moin said.Sarfraz along with five other key players of Pakistan team, who play in all formats, were rested when chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq unveiled a 16-member squad for the One-day Series against Australia who did not pick their key players Steve Smith and David Warner who could play their last two one-dayers against Pakistan after the expiry of their suspension because of spot-fixing.However Moin made it clear that Sarfraz would play till the end of the PSL-4 whose last phase began here at the National Stadium with the match between Lahore Qalandars and two-time winners Islamabad United on Saturday.“You know load distribution is very important. Today T20 cricket is too much. But as Sarfraz already will rest during Pakistan’s home series against Australia so I think his presence in the Quetta Gladiators is absolutely necessary. And I must say that he will continue till the end in the PSL,” said Moin, also a former chief selector.After it was announced that Sarfraz would rest in Pak-Australia tour various conspiracy theories emerged in media with majority suspecting that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would have stopped Sarfraz from skipping his Quetta Gladiators pre-match press conference on Saturday. And Moin, who rushed to his team’s press conference in place of Sarfraz, clarified that it was purely the decision of the Quetta Gladiators not to send the skipper to talk to media.

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