Pakistan pacer Junaid Khan was not picked up for the World Cup 2019, and that didn't go well with him. In protest, the speedster had posted a tweet with his mouth being taped. "I don't want to say anything. Truth is bitter. (Sach karwa hotha hai)," his tweet read.
Junaid was disappointed to not play the major tournament despite going to England for the bilateral series. He revealed no one from the Pakistan Cricket Board contacted him on the matter. "When I was highly frustrated with the treatment rendered to me by the team management, I posted a picture of mine on social media, as a token of soft protest.
"I was highly let down and was in huge pain, but no one from the PCB contacted me. A number of my fans and followers contacted me and convinced me to remove the post as it will bring bad name to the country, so I removed it. Obviously, as a Pakistani and a cricketer, I will never do something, which is against my country," he was quoted as saying by The Nation.
PCB is going through a change on the top level and Junaid, who has played 76 ODIs, is finally looking for justice.
"With the arrival of MD Wasim Khan and new management, I am hopeful of getting justice and the opportunity to represent Pakistan again. I had countless offers in England to play full-time league cricket, but I always put Pakistan way ahead of my personal ambitions. As a Pakhtoon, I reacted somewhat not in suitable way and I do agree with that, but if one puts himself in my place, he will understand the problem I had been facing," he said.
Junaid added that he would have been a more successful bowler had he been given a chance to play on bouncy tracks in SENA countries. "I have taken a lot of crucial wickets for Pakistan team and helped it win countless matches. I always given my 100 percent and people must understand that I have played majority of my cricket on UAE, Bangladesh and Sri Lankan slow tracks; even then my performances are no secret. If I had played on bouncy tracks of Australia, South Africa or England, I could have taken loads more wickets," he said.
He also feels himself to be the right candidate to ease things for Pakistan with the new ball in Test cricket. Mohammad Amir has retired from the longest format, and Wahib Riaz is also looking to opt-out. "I always believe in hard work, and I want to play cricket for Pakistan. I know I can shoulder the burden and can fill the huge gap left by Aamir and Wahab, while everybody knows, Pakistan team is baldy missing a wicket-taking bowler up front, who may bamboozle any given batting order. I can assure the PCB that I am the one, who can resolve all problems and can provide wickets at the top. If provided with chances, I will never let down the team and the country," he said.
(With The Nation's inputs)
