Players leaving Test cricket for other assignment is not right thing to do, says Misbah-ul-Haq
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Misbah-ul-Haq is unhappy with fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz as the duo is unavailable for Tests with former retiring from Tests to prolong his white-ball game and Riaz taking an indefinite break from Test cricket. Pakistan have only 20 points from 3 matches in Test Championship.
Pakistan coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq on Tuesday expressed his anger on the unavailability of their two premier pacers Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz in Test match cricket. Amir retired from Test cricket in July this year citing his thoughts to prolong his white-ball cricket career while Riaz asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) not to consider him for Test match selection as he too wanted to focus on his white-ball game.
âYou invest so much on these players, and when preference should be given to the country and you go elsewhere, itâs not the right thing to do,â an angry Misbah said on Tuesday.
Amir and Riaz were missed in recent Tests. Pakistan lost in Australia twice by an innings each, and last week during the historic first home Test in 10 years, Pakistanâs young pacers were unable to bowl out Sri Lanka in pace-friendly Rawalpindi pitch. Misbah is miffed with Amir and Riaz's decision to play in the Bangladesh league instead of being pillars in this young Pakistan team. Misbah hinted intervention of new policy by the PCB to discourage players from leaving Test cricket when Pakistan needs them.
âWe are thinking hard on these lines, and soon we will make a policy on this (because) it can be a problem for Pakistan in the future. You spend so much on them, and the first availability should be for Pakistan,â Misbah hinted at new policy by PCB.
Pakistan have only 20 points after three Tests in the World Test Championship. Pakistanâs only positives from their recent outings are batting form of Babar Azam and arrival of the new block in Abid Ali who became the only batsman to score hundreds in his Test and ODI debut. Misbahâs voice echoed concerns when he talked about Pakistanâs bowling form.
âWe need to put in a lot of effort in our bowling. Unless we take 20 wickets, how can we win a Test match? The way Shaheen and Naseem are bowling, they are consistently hitting 140-plus (kph), and they are developing into match-winners. They have long futures. They have played very little cricket, but thatâs the positive for Pakistan,â Misbah asserted.
