• Sadiq Mohammad wants PCB to replace chief selector Mohammad Waseem.
• He is upset with the team’s performance in the recently finished Asia Cup 2022.
• Pakistani team lost to Sri Lanka in the final.

Former Test cricketer Sadiq Mohammad has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to replace chief selector Mohammad Waseem because he is upset with the team’s performance in the recently finished Asia Cup 2022, where the Pakistani side lost to Sri Lanka in the final.

Sadiq told that “It’s the right time to change this selection committee, especially Mohammad Waseem,”

“as they have failed” to constitute a solid T20 team.

Sadiq expressed alarm at Pakistan’s errant batting, claiming that the team only had two proper batsmen in captain Babar Azam and wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan, with the others serving only as sloggers.

Sadiq Mohammad, a former left-handed opener, represented Pakistan in 41 Tests and 19 ODIs.

Sadiq said, “It seems that Asif & Iftikhar are favourites of our chief selector. They are selected in the team for all away tours although they haven’t done well. I think that they should be rested for good,”

“These two batsmen are of club standard and they should not be selected even for the domestic regional teams as it will deprive the upcoming deserving youngsters,”

He said that “batsmen with good techniques can help Pakistan achieve targets through sensible batting the way Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas and Asif Iqbal used to do,”

Pakistan, according to the former cricketer, urgently needs reliable middle order batters.

He claimed that although batting coach Mohammad Yousuf must be delivering lessons on how to play, the middle order batters at the moment lack the mental capacity to pick up the game’s strategies.

“Asif, Iftikhar and, to some extent, Fakhar Zaman cannot take ones and twos. Fakhar could have been better as an opener as he would have utilised the circle in the power-play in the Asia Cup.”

Sadiq agreed with Mickey Arthur’s recommendation to separate Babar Azam and Mohamad Rizwan, a former Pakistani coach.

Sadiq said. “Coach Saqlain should have taken a decision or suggested to Babar Azam to play at No 3 as he was going through a lean patch,”

“I would suggest that Imam-ul-Haq open with Rizwan in all T20s due to his correct technique. And they should be followed by Babar, Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafiq.

“Forget about the strike rate of Fakhar Zaman as he has never been consistent,”

He further added, “A technically correct middle order batsman can also hit sixes and he is capable of keeping the scoreboard ticking and keeps bringing seven to eight runs in an over.”