ICC World Cup 2019 | I still don’t know why I was ruled unfit when I was fit enough to play, says Mohammad Shahzad
Afghanistan opener Mohammad Shahzad claims he was in a good enough condition to keep playing in the ongoing World Cup but a conspiracy hatched by the country’s cricket board against him has left him out of the squad. He stated that he felt he did not deserve such treatment considering his seniority.
With over 151 international caps to his name in which he has managed 4732 runs, explosive opener Mohammad Shahzad has been one of the main men responsible for taking cricket in Afghanistan to where it is today and was a part of the team that made history when they played the country’s first ever Test match last year.
He had been in fine fettle in the run-up to the tournament having scored a century against Ireland just 10 days before the World Cup was supposed to commence but sustained a slight knee injury during a warm-up game. However, having recovered he participated in the first two games of the tournament before he was sent home as the Afghanistan Cricket Board announced that the injury had been reaggravated.
Now, in a surprising revelation to PTI, the batsman has stated none of it is true and he has been the victim of a conspiracy that has cost him a place in the team.
“I still don’t know why I was ruled unfit when I was fit enough to play. Some people in the board (ACB) have conspired against me. Only manager, doctor and the captain knew that I was going to be replaced. Even the coach (Phil Simmons) found out much later. It was heart-breaking. I had finished my training (ahead of the New Zealand game) and only after I checked my phone, I found out that I have been ruled out of the World Cup due to a knee injury. None of the players in the team bus knew about it and just like me, they were in shock (at the news),” he said to the PTI from Kabul.
Though he admitted to being injured, he said he had recovered sufficiently to be in a condition to play against New Zealand and hence the news of his exclusion shocked him.
“I have had knee issues for a while now but it gets fine with a little bit of icing. I took proper rest after the Pakistan warm-up and was fit to play again and I did come back to play the first two games and was looking forward to the New Zealand game until I received the shocking news from my manager. Suddenly I was replaced and I had no inkling of that. This not the way to treat a senior player. Under the current dispensation at ACB, I see more senior players getting a raw deal like I did. I really feel hard done by,” Shahzad added.
Having lost all three games including the one against New Zealand on June 8 in which Shahzad was not allowed to take part having already sent home by then, things are not looking bright for them on the field and such grave allegations are certain to hurt the reputation. Therefore, ACB CEO Asadullah Khan was quick to dismiss the player’s claims as fabricated.
“What he is saying is completely wrong. A proper medical report to the ICC was submitted and then only his replacement was announced. The team could not have fielded an unfit player. I understand he is upset at not being part of World Cup anymore but the team could not have compromised on his fitness,” Khan told PTI.