LAHORE: Pakistan cricket team manager Intikhab Alam’s report on Pakistan’s dismal performance at the Asia Cup and World T20 was leaked to the media on Friday, which declared T20 captain Shahid Afridi a clueless skipper.

In his report, Intikhab questioned Afridi’s judgement on various decisions taken by him at the mega event in India. The decisions of dropping Wahab Riaz in favour of Anwar Ali for the Asia Cup match against Bangladesh, promoting himself to No. 3 in the World T20 match against India at the expense of Mohammad Hafeez who had made 64 off 42 balls in the previous match against Bangladesh, and many other such decisions were highlighted by Intikhab in his report.

“In the field, too, questions were often asked about his (Afridi’s) decision. Against India, defending 118, Pakistan had made early inroads through Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Sami before a 61-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh for the fourth wicket took the game away. Amir, who conceded just three runs in his first two overs, was taken off and brought back when the game was all but lost, in the 14th over,” wrote Intikhab.

Intikhab’s World T20 report leaked

“I also felt if proper field was placed for Shoaib Malik in his initial over, he may have given us a breakthrough; it was very surprising to see in a low-scoring game there was no attacking field-placing. There was no slip; had he employed a slip cordon for Malik, we may have had Yuvraj as two chances from his blade went through.

“Earlier our batting, too, had left much to be desired. Hafeez was not sent in at number three while Sarfraz too did not get a meaningful strike. These two were our best bets as they were our prime exponents against spin.

“The Indian spin attack was not challenged at all by our batting, save Shoaib Malik near the closing stages, resulting in a total that was 20 runs short of the average on the Eden Garden turf,” observed Intikhab.

He also noted that Sarfraz was never really provided a fair chance to show his talent despite the fact that he had scored 41, 25, 58 and 38 in his four T20 International innings leading into the tournament.

Intikhab termed the poor use of Sarfraz “a critical waste of talent and form.”

“Much to our chagrin [added to the above reasons], was a captain [Afridi] in his farewell event after a career spanning nearly 20 years, yet absolutely clueless in terms of on-field tactics and off-field leadership,” Intikhab said.

Regarding groupings among the players, the manager said, “The news of groupings in the team only emerged after the team’s loss to New Zealand. It may have been fed from inside the team only to divert attention and shift blame from the captain’s and other boys’ failure.”

He added, “We were also set back by two absolutely needless controversies, the first emanating from Afridi’s ‘more-loved-in-India-than-in-Pakistan’ statement in his mandatory on-arrival press conference [had he stuck to the detailed briefing given to him by the Media Manager and myself, this would not have occurred] and Umar Akmal again stealing the limelight in an unseemly manner by seeking Imran Khan’s intervention to fix his batting position at three, when he had done little to inspire confidence at number 4.

“To prop up the team’s morale, Afridi invited Imran Khan (then in India for his own media and other engagements) for a pep talk prior to the game. Imran for his part tried to lift the morale, advising the boys to stay positive till the last ball was bowled, and never allow the possibility of defeat enter their consciousness. It was a pretty decent one as far as pep talks go, but it was evident that Imran — not unlike many outstanding exponents of the game from his time who have not stayed abreast with it — was not too familiar with the demands and tactics employed in this condensed, post-modern format of the game.”

Intikhab said the previous record of Pakistan against India in the ICC event and rain in Kolkata also had the role in losing the match against India. “On the same square where the Pakistan batsmen gave a command performance against Sri Lanka [in the warm-up match] and Bangladesh but the weather suddenly turned from sultry and sunny to wet and unpredictable.

“Intermittent rain during the night prior to the game, followed by further downpours and overcast skies, meant that the pitch and outfield remained covered for more than 24 hours, changing its character from slow in pace to a spitefully turning and gripping one.

“To cap it all, the tournament was being held in India where the team was under multiple scanners at the same time, pushing the stress and anxiety levels very high.

“The recent Asia Cup and ICC World T20 have made it evident that we have critical gaps both in batting and bowling, and our fielding keeps on leaking runs, thus releasing pressure.

“In bowling, with the exception of Mohammad Amir, we do not have a bowler who can win us matches. Our death bowling also is way below par. And the same goes with our batting line-up, where we do not have reliable pinch hitters to clinch us games.

He also criticised Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad. According to him, the former lacked game awareness and sense of responsibility while the latter was “equally poor”.

“In my opinion, to alleviate our situation in shorter formats of the game, we have to make a comprehensive plan at the Board level. And this includes improving our selection methods. Pick-up, drop, pick-up routine has not helped us at all, neither has bowing down to player power nor hanging on to the so-called ‘talented mavericks’ who refuse to learn, evolve and deliver,” he said.

In his further suggestion, Intikhab urged for strict selection criteria, with a mark scale for each such as form, statistical record, ability to adapt and being a team player.

He also suggested that the free period from now till England tour be used to improve fitness and fielding.

Intikhab, unlike Waqar, did not criticise the national selection committee headed by Haroon Rasheed, ex- chief selector and manager Moin Khan and Najam Sethi.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2016