AUS v PAK 2019: Waqar under Arthur's scrutiny for putting onus of team selection on Misbah

Pakistan selected Imran Khan instead of Mohammad Abbas in the innings defeat in the first Test.

Misbah Ul Haq and Waqar Younis | Getty

With Pakistan about to go down by an innings in the first Test in Brisbane against Australia, the team's selection fell under everyone's scanner especially leaving out pacer Mohammad Abbas in favour of Imran Khan on a wicket that would've suited the former. 

When asked about it after Day 3, bowling coach Waqar Younis said he isn't the one who has an influential say over the selection matters.

"It's a decision that depends on the head coach and the selectors on who'll play and who won't," Waqar told reporters. 

Read Also: Mickey Arthur critical of new Pakistan regime after decline in T20I fortunes 

However, that statement didn't go well with previous team head coach Mickey Arthur, who claimed it was Waqar shying away from the responsibility. 

"He [Waqar] has almost thrown Misbah under the bus there," cricketpakistan.com quoted Arthur as saying. "If I was the head coach and one of my staff said that in a presser, I would be seriously annoyed with him."

"I can’t believe that Misbah didn’t talk to his bowling coach before dropping Mohammad Abbas from the playing XI. I find that absolutely absurd."

It seems the dust hasn't yet settled over the matter where Misbah was actually part of the cricket committee appointed by Pakistan cricket board that removed Arthur from his position post the World Cup in UK. 

At the behest of Misbah, Pakistan also sacked longstanding skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed before this tour and went with a split captaincy model as per which Azhar Ali and Babar Azam found themselves at the helm of affairs in Test and T20Is, respectively, with the decision on leadership in ODIs not yet taken. 

Pakistan hasn't won a game of cricket since the new regime came into being. 

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 24 Nov, 2019

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