Pakistan not favourites even in Test matches, says Jalaluddin

KARACHI: Pakistan’s former Test fast bowler Jalaluddin has said that Bangladesh would have the upper hand in the Test series due to their recent victories in shorter formats and differences among the visiting players and their officials.
He said Pakistan could not be called favourites for Tests after their pathetic show in one-day and T20 matches.
Talking to ‘The News’, Jalal said that Pakistan would be a better side because of the presence of Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan, but poor performance of bowlers in the matches played so far on the tour indicated that they might not be able to bowl the Bengali batsmen out twice in the Tests.
Pakistan have played five matches so far, including a practice game against Bangladesh A. “They have beaten us in all matches comfortably. Pakistan’s confidence has been shattered,” Jalal said.
He slammed PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan for saying that there was no need to press panic button. “Enough is enough. The panic button should have been pressed long ago. Chairman selection committee Haroon Rasheed, coach Waqar Younis, ODI captain Azhar Ali, and T20 captain Shahid Afridi are all issuing contradictory statements,” he said.
“Nobody in the PCB is asking coach Waqar and Afirdi why Sohail Tanvir was sent to bat at No 4 position in the T20 game when Pakistan needed to score runs quickly and Sarfraz and Rizwan were sitting on the bench,” said Jalal, a highly qualified coach.
He said Sohail was not an ideal all-rounder. “This once again proved that there was no planning and sincerity,” he said.
He said Pakistani players, instead of showing their skills, were making useless jumps in the field to show the TV audience in Pakistan that they were very committed.
He said Pakistan were a strong side on paper in Tests, but the commitment, motivation and form of Bangladeshi cricketers could turn the tables if Pakistan continued to make illogical decisions.
“Haroon says that Ajmal’s and Umar Gul’s careers would be decided after watching their performances in the Tests. If they did not have trust in them why did they select them,” he asked.
Jalal said Pakistan’s cricket system had collapsed due to wrong policies of the PCB as people with an old mindset had captured the PCB. “They do not have the courage to take revolutionary steps to meet the demands of modern era,” he said.