“Why the PCB is not including a batting coach instead of two bowling coaches?”

ISLAMABAD: Former test cricketers have accused the Pakistan Cricket Board of lacking vision after South Africa recorded a comfortable 2-0 sweep of the Twenty20 internationals at Abu Dhabi.

Ex-test leg-spinner Abdul Qadir on Thursday said selectors picked the wrong combination for the shortest format of the game and players such as Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat and Misbah-ul-Haq did not deserve a place in the lineup.

“PCB's think tank is visionless and has no planning at all,” Qadir told The Associated Press.

Pakistan's batsmen twice failed in two days at Abu Dhabi's Zayed Cricket Stadium as South Africa successfully chased down modest targets of 120 and 121 runs.

“I don't understand why there are two bowling coaches because it's our batting which has been struggling for the last year,” Qadir said.

Waqar Younis is the head coach of the team and his assistant is Aqib Javed, another former fast bowler.

“Why the PCB is not including a batting coach instead of two bowling coaches?” Qadir asked.

“Even an ordinary person can see on television that our batsmen are struggling against all the opposition and we do need a batting coach.”

Qadir appreciated South Africa's brilliant planning for next year's ODI World Cup, which led to the inclusion of youngsters such as Colin Ingram in the T20 squad.

“They didn't play Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis in the Twenty20 and used their young and talented players who performed outstandingly against us,” he said.

“I'm sure Kallis and Amla will return for the ODIs and that will strengthen their team.

“This shows that South Africans have clear vision how to make up their squads for various forms of the game.”

Former test fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz said Pakistan needed young talent but the PCB preferred veterans. he accused some of the older players of playing for themselves, not the team.

“The classic example is of Misbah, who is 36 now,” Nawaz said. “He top-scored in both matches, but only played for himself as he took too much time to settle down and that put pressure on the other batsmen.” Qadir criticized the team management for not including young middle-order batsman Asad Shafiq in the T20 squad instead of Hafeez.

“I don't know how many chances Hafeez would get, it was simply shocking to see more talented players sitting on bench like Asad Shafiq,” he said.

Hafeez scored 13 and 14 in two innings.

Qadir was surprised with the selectors' choices for different international events, highlighting the inclusion of former captain Shoaib Malik and fast bowler Shabbir Ahmed's for a a super sixes tournament at Hong Kong.

“Their selection shows that they are fit and if that's the case, Hong Kong is not the right place for them _ they should be in United Arab Emirates.” -AP