The post-World T20 drama has opened the Pandora’s Box that brings astonishing revelations every day. Pakistan head coach submitted a strong worded report to the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman that includes 13 recommendations, top three in regard to the selection criteria.

The points must not come as a surprise to a keen follower of Pakistan cricket.

After a dismal Asia Cup T20 campaign, largely due to hapless top-order performances, Pakistan axed Khurram Manzoor to pave way for Ahmed Shehzad’s return for the coveted World T20. Manzoor, who was brought in the side after a successful Pakistan-A tour, failed miserably as he accumulated only 11 runs in three matches, 10 of them coming against India from 18 balls.

Khurram Manzoor

Pakistan’s Chief Selector Haroon Rasheed termed Manzoor’s scenario to be a ‘backfired gamble’ and took full responsibility for his inclusion.

But does this admission end the matter?

After Pakistan’s hapless run in the last year’s World Cup, Pakistan Cricket Board’s Chairman Shehryar Khan instated Rasheed as the Chief Selector. Soon Pakistan toured Bangladesh without Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad (Shehzad travelled for only T20Is). Azhar Ali’s men were on the receiving end of the humiliating 3-0 ODI whitewash against Bangladesh despite the introduction of the ‘fresh legs’ in the team.

Pakistan lost the only T20I as well, eventually winning the two-match Test series 1-0. Despite the fact that the series was termed as the ‘lowest point’ in Pakistan’s rich cricketing history by various commentators, the results were not pondered upon much, as, the team went through the reconstituting process after Misbah’s and Afridi’s retirement.

The pain-boring defeat got overshadowed in matter of weeks when the International Cricket’s exile ended from the country with Zimbabwe’s historic tour. The constant shuffle of the players remained constant, however.

Pakistan, after thrashing Zimbabwe in Lahore, beat Sri Lanka in all three formats in Sri Lanka. This was followed by the Test team’s second consecutive home series win over England.

The exultation caused by the team’s victories eclipsed the cries of hyper squad changes.

Nonetheless, the cries started to become louder with the team’s subsequent run in the limited overs cricket.

Pakistan got hammered by the Britons, the Kiwis, and then their neighbors in the Asia Cup T20. In the last 16 International contest, Pakistan managed only four wins. One of them over an associate, UAE.

Sharjeel Khan

Since March 28, 2015, the day Haroon Rasheed took over, till the ongoing World T20, Pakistan’s Win/Loss ratio has been 1.15 across the formats. Out of the 45 matches, 10 have been played against Zimbabwe. Pakistan came out victorious in those 8 times, with rain abandoning one ODI and the other ending in the opposition’s favor due to bad light. If these contests are taken out of the equation, Pakistan’s Win/Loss ratio shows a grim 0.77 figure.

The factor behind the deplorable show according to the fanbase and analysts is the team’s selection.

As Pakistan failed to get proper starts with the bat throughout the Asia Cup T20, let’s have a look at the performances of the three that were selected for the regional and global T20 tournaments during Rasheed’s stint.

	T20 matches	Innings	Runs	25+	Highest Score	Average	Strike Rate
Mohammad Hafeez	37	37	576	7	61	15	111
Sharjeel Khan	23	23	629	9	117	28	149
Khurram Manzoor	14	14	320	4	81	22	124

From nowhere the figures of the second last column match the competence demanded at the highest level.

Some would argue Sharjeel Khan’s average looks just fine. But, if his high score of 117 is taken out of the equation his average goes down by 5 runs to 23.

Mohammad Hafeez, averaging 15 in T20s, has done a phenomenal job in the Test and ODI format since 2015 World Cup. He averages 42 in the 20 ODIs with five 75-runs plus knocks, which include 5 fifties and two centuries. In 7 Tests, he amassed 710 at the average of 59 with 2 fifties and the same number of hundreds. These runs include his career best 224 against Bangladesh at Khulna.

Hafeez contributed only 31 runs in the four Asia Cup T20 matches. So, any sane individual would ask that why he has been continuously given a run in the format.

Mohammed Hafeez

Prior to the Asia Cup T20, Khurram Manzoor had not played an International T20. The last time he tasted the shorter version was way back in September 2015. Because of his staggering List-A scores of late, he was brought into the T20 side. Like any Pakistan’s batsman would, he failed to surmount the questions posed by the Mirpur’s grassy wickets.

On the other hand, Ahmed Shehzad had been a consistent performer over the period. He played some impressive knocks at the inaugural PSL, but was ‘rested’ which shattered the team combination.

The 24-year old crossed 25 runs mark on 15 occasions and scored 6 fifties, just one less than the combined 7 of the three batsmen
above.

Ahmed Shehzad

Here is the look at Shehzad’s stats:

	T20 Matches	Innings	Runs	25+	Highest Score	Average	Strike Rate
Ahmed Shehzad	38	38	964	15	76*	27	124

Approximately a week later the ‘rested’ batsman was brought back into the side for the biggest tournament of the year. Didn’t the chief selector feel any embarrassment when he reversed his decision?

Mukhtar Ahmed

The Snubbed Ones

Mukhtar Ahmed made his T20I debut in front of Rasheed in Mirpur last year with a racy 37 at 123 that included 5 fours and a six. He scored 83 and 62 in the next two matches against Zimbabwe in Lahore. However, he could not cross more than 4 runs in the next three international T20s. On the basis of just three games, Ahmed was sent into oblivion in spite of averaging 29 and scoring almost 1.5 runs per ball since his T20 debut. Mukhtar also hit an electrifying 123 off just 67 in the Domestic T20 Cup, last year.

	T20 Matches	Innings	Runs	25+	Highest Score	Average	Strike Rate
Mukhtar Ahmed	19	18	489	8	123	29	147

Just after two Tests against Bangladesh last year Sami Aslam was sent into oblivion like Mukhtar Ahmed. Despite the fact that he scored 45 on his ODI debut, he was not given another opportunity to continue his ODI form.

In the last 5 First Class matches, Aslam averaged 43 in 9 innings that included 221 off 435 balls against FATA. In January this year, he scored back to back 124 and 60 over three days in the National One Day Cup.

Fawad Alam averages above 40 in both Tests and ODIs. The left-hander anchored Pakistan throughout the 2014 Asia Cup with the bat. Moreover, he has been scoring heaps of runs over the number of seasons. In the Domestic T20 Cup last year, Fawad Alam compiled runs at the towering average of 68. Yet, he has been overlooked. Here is a look at Alam’s performance with the bat in the tournament.

	T20 Matches	Innings	Runs	25+	Highest Score	Average	Strike Rate
Fawad Alam	11	9	339	8	123	68	133

Sami Aslam

Fawad Alam

Where will it end?

Ahmed Shehzad was made the scapegoat, prior to WT20, for Pakistan’s poor run in UAE and New Zealand over the last months. Similarly, the 29-year old Manzoor was dropped, after just three games, because of the sins that the top-order unitedly committed.

The only difference was of the fancy terms. The former was ‘rested’ and the latter was a ‘backfired gamble.’

This is high time Haroon Rasheel relinquished the seat for which he was never fit. It is time to make the changes for good.