Politics fill Pakistan cricket, says Azhar Mahmood

By Fathima Zanaida

COLOMBO (TheSportsNext) August 28, 2012: Former Pakistani all-rounder Azhar Mahmood said Tuesday that Pakistan cricket is filled with politics and nobody really cares about the benefit of game or the cricketers.

 

Azhar Mahmood, who is a British citizen now, while talking to media during the Sri Lanka Premier League 2012, "It's more about politics rather than administrators thinking about game's benefit. There is no consistent selection policy and there will be chopping and changing of players now and then. Obviously, this has been the reason for the incosistent performance of Pakistan in international cricket”.

Azhar Mahmood, who has been out of favors of Pakistani selectors since 2007, has been featuring in various cricket leagues across the globe where he consistently has been part of the English county season and is now an eligible British citizen to represent England cricket team in international cricket.

Azhar Mahmood said, “I have played in different leagues in different countries. I have seen the relationships among players, coaches and management in different countries. The mindset among the cricket authorities in Pakistan is completely different. They don't want to change”.

It is important to mention here that Azhar Mahmood has represented various teams in T20 leagues played in England, New Zealand, Bangladesh and India, and now he is representing Wayamba United at Sri Lanka Premier League 2012.

He is of the belief that the PCB selectors’ inconsistency to select him was the main reason why he couldn’t pounce on the great start to his international career. Azhar Mahmood impressed all and sundry by hitting back-to-back hundreds against South Africa in their country for Pakistan but since then he found him in and out of the side consistently and is yet to play for Pakistan since 2007.

He added, "I feel I underachieved for Pakistan and I have been not treated well by the authorities. I was primarily dropped from 2007 World Cup for no reason. I started off well in Test cricket but suddenly I was branded as an ODI cricketer and subsequently was dropped from longer version. I played my last Test in 2001."

Azhar Mahmood also spoke for his fellow cricketers who were harshly treated by the PCB authorities. He stated, "The same happened in case of Saqlain Mushtaq and Shoaib Akhtar. The administrators ill-treated them. Then they don't want Abdul Razzaq and he was sidelined for long though he has now come back. There is no clear selection policy. In the World T20, there is only one genuine all-rounder which is inexplicable”.

Pakistani selectors have rested fast bowler Umar Gul and senior batsman Younus Khan for the limited overs series against Australia in the United Arab Emirates and decided against selecting an in-form Wahab Riaz for the upcoming ICC World Twenty20 2012 to be held in Sri Lanka in September.

Azhar Mahmood also took on the PCB management for its consistency with captains. "They will change captain after just one bad series. The same is in case of players also. They will chop after one or two bad games. You need to give time to captains and the players to settle down. The captains world over are given some time to settle down but not in Pakistan. I played under nine captains," he mentioned.

Azhar Mahmood, who represented Pakistan in 21 Tests and 143 ODIs, claimed that he was told that his name was in contention for getting selected in the World T20 squad but once again selectors ruled him out owing to not playing the domestic cricket. "I can still play for Pakistan and I am available though I had taken British citizenship. I played Pakistan domestic cricket till last year and they didn't want me. Then why should I continue to play in Pakistan? I need money to feed my family and so I am now playing in England", he made it clear.

"If I can't play for Pakistan, it's their loss. That's not my loss," he stated.

Azhar Mahmood also revealed that he along with Mohammad Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq was planning to set up a cricket academy in England. "This game has given me a lot and I want to give back to the game. I am going to open an academy in England to spot and groom young talent. It will be done along with Mohammad Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq. If things go well we will take it to Pakistan also," he added.