Failure to tackle short balls led to defeat: Rashid Khan

KARACHI: Former fast bowler Rashid Khan blasted the selection committee and the team management after Pakistan were defeated by the West Indies by seven wickets in their first match of World Cup 2019.

Talking to ‘The News’, he said that the team management had done nothing to prepare batsmen for facing short balls. “Our batsman failed to tackle short-pitched deliveries, especially bouncers,” he added.

Rashid said that Pakistan’s former leg spinner Mushtaq Ahmed, who is part of the West Indies coaching staff, told the West Indies to bowl short, knowing that the Pakistanis are vulnerable to such deliveries. “The result was that seven of our batsman got out like they were newcomers in international cricket,” he added.

He said that Mushtaq was doing what he was supposed to do. “He is a professional coach and did what he is expected to do. But the question is what Mickey Arthur and Inzamam-ul-Haq had done to counter this attack,” he added.

Rashid said it was surprising to see Asif Ali not playing the match as he had scored consistently in the series against England.

He said the selection committee and the team management had been there for two years. “What have they achieved! Got a 46-year-old record broken by losing 11 consecutive ODIs,” he said.

He said Pakistan batsmen should be ready to face such bowling in coming matches in the World Cup. “We should be praying that Pakistan win against Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Those two teams could also prove dangerous against us,” he said.

He also questioned the logic of having Wahab Riaz in the team in the name of reverse swing. “When there are two balls being used, he won’t be able to reverse swing. Then what would be the benefit of picking him,” he said. He said that Pakistan should play with three fast bowlers and one spinner to strengthen the batting line. Rashid said that one positive thing was Muhammad Amir’s successful comeback.