Iqbal questions Pakistan spinners’ ability

ISLAMABAD: Former renowned Test spinner and chief selector Iqbal Qasim Friday said the series loss against Australia was an outcome of poor planning on the part of Pakistan and complete absence of a winning recipe that allowed the tourists to dictate the hosts at crucial stages of the third Test.

Talking to ‘The News’ just after Australia won fair and square in the third Test at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Iqbal Qasim said that Pakistan’s think-tank should admit that they had played into the hands of Australia squad.

“One wonders on the ability of those who were given powers to handle the Test series by exploiting home conditions and executing the strongest of points of the playing units. Sadly, on the both fronts we have failed miserably. Pakistan think-tank never knew what should be the best playing conditions to put the tourists under pressure. We never prepared and used the conditions to our strength rather we presented Australia with a good opportunity to snatch the series. Pakistan management was technically mismanaging the home element that could easily have been exploited otherwise.”

The former left-arm spinner raised serious questions on Pakistan spinners’ ability to run through the opposition.

“The two spinners we have played throughout the series were neither not experienced nor did they know the art of buying wickets. My question is as to why Yasir Shah had been left out of the series.

If Yasir was dropped on the disciplinary grounds, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should have come in the open else the decision to drop him dealt a crucial blow to Pakistan chances and those responsible must accept their fault. More importantly it was lack of true planning that came in the way.

We never knew what conditions would be more suited for the Pakistan cause,” he said.