Despite maintaining a studied silence after being dropped from the PCB central contracts, Shoaib Akhtar is very upset and feels that he has been treated unjustly.
KARACHI: Despite maintaining a studied silence after being dropped from the PCB central contracts, maverick fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is very upset and feels that he has been treated unjustly after doing a decent job during the India tour, sources said.
Pakistan Cricket Board did not name Akhtar in the list of 15 centrally contracted players announced on January 25 citing
his lack of fitness and indifferent form last year.
Sources close to Akhtar said he was very upset with the board's decision and felt he had been treated unjustly after
doing a decent job in the recent tour of India.
They say he is already looking for a good county contract and is considering his future as a Pakistan player.
"The board has retained Mohammad Asif in Category A of the contracted players when he has also faced numerous fitness
problems and played in just the Twenty20 World Cup and a couple of games since last year. Akhtar feels that the board
is targeting him," one source said.
The source said the Australian trainer of the team has not given a positive feedback to the board about Akhtar's
training habits and this could have influenced PCB's decision.
Former captain Amir Sohail has criticised the board for dropping Akhtar, saying the board has made itself a laughing
stock by doing that.
Cricket circles are also surprised at the contradictions in the gradation system under which the board has awarded
fresh central contracts and retainers.
Former captain Javed Miandad feared that the new contracts could create tension among juniors and seniors.
"To not give a promotion to (Danish) Kaneria was totally uncalled for. To promote Misbah-ul-Haq to Category A and make
him vice-captain on the basis of a few good performances could create bad blood and dissension between the senior and junior players," Miandad said.
Leg-spinner Kaneria has been placed in Category C in the same bracket as Fawad Alam who has played just two one-day
internationals so far compared to Kaneria's 51 Tests and 18 one-dayers.
But PCB Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi defended the board's decisions.
"We did it under a proper points system. Points were awarded for fitness, behaviour, discipline, commitment and
performances.
"Under this system we really didn't take the seniority into consideration that much but more emphasis was laid on
recent performances and how disciplined and committed a player had been when he did play for the country," Naghmi reasoned.
He said a player's potential and future worth was also taken into consideration while awarding points.
"These contracts and retainers are not permanent. We have nothing personal against any player. We had experts to devise
the points system which was approved by the governing body. If Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami perform well they can get
central contracts," Naghmi said.
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