LAHORE: Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq on Tuesday declared that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wanted to give long-serving national team players a graceful farewell.

Without specifically mentioning names, the batting legend said the players deserved it for the services they had rendered for Pakistan cricket.

“It’s their right,” Inzamam said while speaking to reporters at the launch of his boutique.

Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq and veteran batsman Younis Khan fall in that category while Shahid Afridi has also slipped under the radar since Pakistan’s disastrous World T20 campaign in 2016.

The PCB has left it to Misbah and Younis to make up a decision on their retirement on their own.

The duo has come under criticism following Pakistan’s poor performances in the recent tours of Australia and New Zealand.

Inzamam reiterated that he would select players purely on merit and hinted that the tainted duo of paceman Mohammad Asif and opener Salman Butt would also be selected if they’re up to the mark.

He reiterated that he believes there should be one captain for all three formats of the game.

“Although that [naming the captain] is PCB chief Shaharyar Khan’s domain, I believe one captain for all formats is a good step and other countries have also started doing that,” Inzamam said.

“But changing a captain in haste could backfire as the performance in all the other departments has to be reviewed.”

AGGRESSIVE BATSMEN

Meanwhile former Test batsman Mohammad Yousuf, who was also present on the occasion, said opener Sharjeel Khan and top-order batsman Babar Azam have given Pakistan future hope.

“Now we need aggressive batsmen below them who can build the innings at good pace,” Yousuf said.

“There are a number of players in the ODI team who won’t be able to go on till the next World Cup [in 2019] and therefore Inzamam and the selection committee has to make tough calls.”

The batting great added that he was surprised at Pakistan’s shaky performance in Australia despite batting-friendly pitches there.

He added it speaks volumes about how the team has fallen that wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed remains the only choice to lead the team in the future.

“It shows what level we’ve gone down to,” Yousuf said. “Sarfraz has his problems while keeping wicket and he needs to improve to be a successful captain.”

Published in Dawn February 1st, 2017