LAHORE: The contrasting performances produced by national Test and ODI squads against Australia recently in the UAE, the lacklustre showing by ‘A’ team against the UAE and the stunning home series loss suffered by national U-19s to Afghanistan raise serious questions on selection affairs.

Pakistan after losing the one-off Twenty20 to Australia were whitewashed 0-3 in the ODI series in the UAE. However, in a highly encouraging turnaround Misbah-ul-Haq’s brigade then staged a resounding comeback to record a magnificent 2-0 clean sweep in the Test series against Michael Clarke and company, that concluded in Abu Dhabi last Monday.

Moreover, Pakistan’s younger cricket teams featuring in recent international contests have not impressed their fans at all.

While the ‘A’ team could barely earn a 3-2 series win against ICC’s non-associate member UAE, the juniors (national U-19 side) suffered a huge shock when they lost the three-match one-day home series to their lowly Afghanistan counterparts 2-1.

Even the performances within the senior ranks vary considerably.

Needless to say, the contrasting results produced by national Test and ODI squads against Australia in the UAE should receive PCB’s serious and immediate attention.

Indeed, there should be absolutely no room for anyone to pick any player on personal liking and disliking, while ignoring national interest. In this regard, the way veteran Younis Khan was treated with regard to selection for the Australia ODI series reflects a significant anomaly in the process and criterion for selection.

Moreover, those who could not assess the real potential of rookie leg-spinner Yasir Shah — who simply baffled the Aussies in the Test rubber — as they ignored him for the ODI series against Aussies should perhaps realise their blunder.

It perhaps came as a surprise to many that Raza Hasan and time-and-again-tested Umar Amin were selected in the ODI team, 254-ODI veteran Younis and talented Yasir were ignored.

Moreover, a young and energetic pacer Anwar Ali was selected whereas one feels given the profile of the ODI Aussie opponents either seasoned Umar Gul or Mohammad Irfan should have been given preference.

In the Test series, Younis was by far the top run-getter with a mammoth 468 runs scored at a massive average of 156 and Yasir ended as the second highest wicket-taker (12, averaging 17.25). Leg-spin icon Shane Warne acknowledging Yasir’s potential is more than enough for those who ignored him for the ODIs.

Moreover, left-arm paceman Sohail Tanvir, was picked in the T20 team and was also named as ODI replacement (for injured Junaid Khan), raising the criterion followed for national selection. Overlooking several central-contracted bowlers like Mohammad Talha, Bilawal Bhatti, Gul and Irfan — in favour of Sohail -- only came as a major surprise.

Meanwhile, it seems negligible notice was taken about the poor performances produced by the ‘A’ and Junior teams in their recent outings.

The ‘A’ team, having no less than eight international players featured in a five-match one-day series against the UAE in their backyard. The tour was important for the UAE as part of their preparations for the 2015 World Cup.

Pakistan could narrowly win the series 3-2.

In the presence of batsmen — having played in international cricket — like Nasir Jamshed, Sohaib Maqsood, Sharjeel Khan, upcoming Sami Aslam, Babar Azam and Imad Wasim and with the support of top bowlers like Bilawal Bhatti, Ataullah, Anwar Ali, Raza Hasan and upcoming Karamat Ali, the ‘A’ team suffered two defeats in the series.

Though Nasir emerged as the top run-getter (314 runs, at average 62.80) with one century and a half-century in the series, he was surprisingly not selected for Pakistan ‘A’ practice match against New Zealanders held in Sharjah from Nov 3 to 5.

Nasir, holding a pretty good record as opener in international cricket, but has lost the form in recent past, could have been retested in the said match against the Kiwis.

Barring Nasir, the performance of other batsmen was dismal. Sohaib (120, three matches), Sharjeel Khan (72, four matches), Adil Amin (135, three matches) and Babar Azam (110, five matches) remained out of colour.

In bowling, only pacer Ataullah was the prominent performer (5 matches, 14 wickets, average 11.93) while the second best was Raza (seven wickets, 17.86). Bilawal (6-165) and Anwar (3-136) could not impress.

In the meantime, Pakistan U-19 team’s crash in the home one-day series against Afghanistan was a horror indeed. Here again selection errors can be spotted.

If the players’ performance in the last national U-19 event was part of the criterion, the selection of vice-captain Imran Rafiq (four matches, 51 runs) can easily be termed questionable.

Moroever, Daniyal Hussain Rajput (five matches, 167 runs) was preferred over Shahid Khan (185 runs, four matches), Aqib Shah (175 runs, five matches) and Gauhar Hafeez (171 runs, three matches).

Selection disorders can be detected in the bowling department too.

Top wicket-taker Mohammad Asghar (17 wickets, average 6.3) and the second best Ghulam Hussain (11 wickets, 13.73) were kept in the list of reserves.

While the third main wicket-taker Malik Aftab Azwar, a right-arm fast bowler (10 wickets, 19.40), was also ignored.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2014