LAHORE, April 5: Former captain Moin Khan faces an uncertain future as the Pakistan selectors continue to mount pressure on skipper Inzamamul Haq to drop the gutsy wicket-keeper from the remaining part of the home series against India.
The selection committee, headed by Wasim Bari, had pressed for the exclusion of Moin after the first Test. But Inzamam managed to convince the selectors to include Moin, arguing that he was experienced and was also getting back into his best.
Luck eventually deserted Moin when he was forced to miss the second Test with a groin injury. Kamran Akmal, a certain heir to Moin, was included in the side and did what was expected of him.
The selectors have since continued a whispering campaign against Moin and are still trying to convince the top hierarchy of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to sideline Moin once and for ever.
"The selectors have complained against Moin's attitude and body language. They also claim that Moin lacks the required level of fitness to excel at international level," sources disclosed.
Moin, it may be recalled, was drafted into the team for the Test series against South Africa after Rashid Latif said he was taking a break. Moin's gutsy batting saved Pakistan from defeat in the Faisalabad Test that enabled Inzamam's men to win their first series against Graeme Smith's men.
On the tour to New Zealand, Moin's career-best 137 saved Pakistan from defeat in the first Test. He also scored two half centuries on that tour before hitting a defiant 50 against India in the fifth and last One-day International at Lahore against India.
"The selectors are divided on the issue of leaving out Moin. But Wasim Bari seems to be adamant to oust him. The selectors, minus Bari, are of the view that it would be premature to throw Kamran Akmal in the series against India as Moin provides the fragile lower-order batting the impetus that is required.
"In addition to this, Moin plays the same role as Javed Miandad when Imran Khan was the captain. Inzamam, the selectors view, needs someone on the field whom he can trust while taking crucial decisions," sources added.
Bari was forced to resign by Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, then PCB chief, after the 2003 World Cup disaster when he contested the cases of the oldies and objected to PCB decision to go for a rebuilding.
Bari was reappointed as chief selector in January this year when Shaharyar Khan unceremoniously removed Aamir Sohail after the latter's selected teams (both Tests and One-day Internationals) finished in the top three of ICC year-ending rankings.
