What went wrong for Pakistan in the Semi Final?

[dee]

---

---

Not surprised by Pak loss: Zulqarnain


Karachi: Refugee wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider has accused the Akmal brothers of controlling things in the Pakistan team after their 29-run defeat to India in the World Cup semifinal.


Haider said he was not surprised by Pakistan's defeat and raised questions over the performance of the team in Mohali last night, particularly since fixing had been a part of Pakistan cricket culture.

"I am not surprised by the defeat because they are groups operating in the team and they don't allow any player to settle down unless he succumbs to them. The same thing happened to me," Haider told the Dunya news channel from London after the match last night.


He claimed that one of the reasons for his leaving the national team was the harrassment meted out by this group particularly Kamran Akmal's younger brother, Umar Akmal.


"Umar Akmal used to say things to me after which I decided to leave the team," Haider said but promised to reveal more details about the incident later.


"No one is allowed to settle into the team unless they are supported by a group and that is what happened to me.


Players are not allowed to settle into the team if they don't go along with a group.


"That is the reason why Kamran is still in the team despite poor performances. No other keeper would be retined in the team if he dropped the number of catches Kamran has dropped," he added.


Haider fled the Pakistan team hotel in Dubai last November during a one-day series against South Africa for which Kamran was dropped. He has claimed that he fled after being threatened by a person who wanted him to be part of a fixing racket.


Haider fled to London and has now sought asylum from the United Kingdom government.


The wicketkeeper felt his stance on fixing had been vindicated after the semi-final result.


"How can you win a match when you drop three to four catches in one match," he said.


Haider also alleged that some national selectors took money from players to select them.


"I would ask the Pakistan cricket board, government and ICC to look into the assets of the selectors to get to the bottom of the truth," he added.


Haider who scored 80 runs on test debut last year in England had also played a match-winning innings against South Africa in the fourth one-day international before fleeing the team hotel ahead of the fifth and final match.


The keeper is living in difficult conditions in London as the Pakistan cricket Board has also refused to release payments due to him insisting it will not make payments until Haider returns to Pakistan and faces charges of violating the players code of conduct.



Not surprised by Pak loss: Zulqarnain - World Cup 2011 - Cricket Next

[dee]

Kamran to face axe after Pak loss


Karachi: Experienced Pakistani wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal may have played his last international match after his disappointing performance in the World Cup semifinal against India in Mohali.


A reliable source close to the national selection committee told PTI that the selectors had decided before the match that if he didn't perform in the crucial game they would start looking for replacements.

"The fact is that the selectors had decided before the World Cup that Kamran would no longer be playing Test matches.


But they had backed him to perform in the tournament so that he could be considered for limited over cricket," the source said.


According to the source if Kamran had performed in the semi-final he would have remained in contention to continue playing limited over cricket.


"But now according to what the selectors have decided his Pakistan career is virtually over as they are not happy with either his keeping or batting at this level," the source said.


"For a player who has been around since 2002, their appears to be no consistency or improvement in his keeping or batting and the selectors now believe it is time to find a replacement for him and move on," the source said.


Kamran, 29, has played 53 Tests, 137 ODIs and 38 T20 internationals but in recent times his wayward keeping abilities and inconsistent batting has disappointed the selectors as well as his fans.


The source said the selectors would definitely not be picking Kamran for the forthcoming tour to the West Indies for either format of the game.


"The selectors will rely on Adnan Akmal and Sarfaraz Ahmed for the West Indies tour that is now decided after the semi final today," the source said.


Kamran's repeated follies behind the stumps, including some vital dropped catches, have cost Pakistan team a lot and again yesterday his keeping was untidy while he scored just 19 runs opening the innings.


"The selectors will now also decide on the future of some senior players in the limited over teams as they now plan to blood more new players in one-day and T20 cricket on the West Indies tour," the source added.


Enigmatic fast bowler, Shoaib Akhtar has already announced his retirement from international cricket after the World Cup and the Pakistan team management also didn't play him in the last four matches of the tournament.


Ironically Shoaib's ouster from the playing eleven also involved Kamran who had dropped two catches in one over from Shoaib against New Zealand leading to an argument between them in the dressing room and eventual disciplinary action against the temperamental fast bowler.


Kamran to face axe after Pak loss - World Cup 2011 - Cricket Next

[Ultra]

Two spectacular Pakistani fast bowlers have been banned just for one match, but this weird wicket keeper and several mundane 'batsmen' are still rummaging about since who knows when.

[zakiahmed]

1)Misbah-ul-Haq,
2)Misbah-ul-Haq,
3)Misbah-ul-Haq,

[JanjaWeed]

Btw WEED, I won my bet yesterday, and betted a small amount on Sachin to be Man of the match at odds of 7 . Im going quite big on final day and will bet £300 on India win, £200 in Dilshan top run scorer and some on Sachin MOTM

Hey.. good on you. It wasn't you who was blocking the roads in southall last evening.. was it??

[U-571]

icc must investigate if this match was fixed or not....

[EastWest]

icc must investigate if this match was fixed or not....

shuru ho gaya...

[nuclearpak]

Angry with;

1) Younis
2) Misbah
3) Kamran Akmal

Happy With

1) Umar Akmal
2) Asad Shafiq
3) Hafeez
4) Afridi
5) Wahab Riaz
6) Saeed Ajmal

completely agree.!!!!....afridi should be proud instead ....take salot of guts to say sorry on international TV....we have to know that afridi is not a tactician ...he is a morale booster and leader while dhoni is a good tactician...hafeez should be the tactician of the team.

[Elmo]

---

---

"Why do angels fly?

Because they take themselves lightly."

Guys, cool down. Take some time off the net.