Match Point
Afridi's removal: Bad, bad decision!

Afridi's removal: Bad, bad decision!

Why would you want to demote a captain who led you to the semi-finals in the World Twenty20 and the ODI World Cup?

ali.syed May 21, 2011

You have a problem with your car? Don’t try to fix it, buy a new one.

If you think about it, this is exactly how Ejaz Butt goes about changing the Pakistan cricket team’s captains. For me, this is just another failure on Butt’s part. Sure, Pakistan won the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup, made it to the semi-finals in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy, played well in the 2010 Twenty20 World Cup, and exceeded our expectations in the 2011 ICC World Cup – was all of this Butt’s success or a reflection of the talent in Pakistan?

Just imagine the brilliant results that can be achieved if our talented cricket team were to be backed by capable management.

Butt has not given any explanations for the move as yet, but the widely held belief is that Shahid Afridi was sacked as captain because of his differences with coach Waqar Younis.

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) role here should really have been to define each individual’s domain.

Was Afridi justified in asking for a final say in the playing eleven?

Yes, because he was the one who had to lead the team in the field. He was the one who had to take all the decisions on the ground. If a certain player did not fit well in his plans, he should have been given the power to make that player sit out.

Detractors will be quick to mention that Afridi is no Imran Khan. Agreed. But did we not allow the same freedom to Inzamamul Haq? We gave him the power to pick his squad.

Here, you have a captain who just wants his say in the final eleven, not the whole squad, and you axe him. And come to think of it. What if Misbahul Haq wants to play a certain player instead of someone who has Younis’s backing? Gear up Muhammad Hafeez and Umar Gul, your chances of captaining Pakistan just experienced exponential growth. In conclusion, Butt’s decision does not solve the problem.

The famous Pietersen-Moores episode has been brought up in equation with this incident. The difference is that Kevin Pietersen had openly talked to his employers, the English Cricket Board (ECB), to find a replacement for Peter Moores. He did not want to work with him. Did Afridi do the same? No. He just reiterated the importance of every individual playing his role.

My problem with handing over the captaincy to Misbah is simple: he is too old.

How long will he be able to carry on? Do we have a replacement ready? The answers to these questions are unclear. It really is another chapter in Pakistan cricket’s much publicised story of unpredictability, for only in Pakistan cricket can you make such comebacks. From being rejected as ODI material just over seven months ago, to becoming the captain of the side, it sure speaks volumes about our consistency.

But who am I kidding?

Why would you want a captain who has led you to 18 wins in 34 matches (all played away from home)?

Why would you want a captain who was the joint-highest wicket taker at the recently concluded World Cup?

Why would you want a captain who has, against all odds, managed to keep this team united under massive pressure?

Why would you want a captain who led you to the semi-finals in the World Twenty20 and the ODI World Cup?

You would definitely not want him to stay as captain. Instead, you would choose a 37-year-old. I have nothing against Misbah, but he should not be captaining the Pakistani side on the tour to Ireland. For a man who led his squad to a fairy-tale run at the World Cup and brought together the whole of Pakistan, a job many of our celebrated leaders outside the world of cricket have failed to do, Afridi deserves more respect.

We had Imran. We had Miandad. We had Wasim. But, if ever, there was to be a true reflection of Pakistan's cricketing culture, a strange relationship between excitement, talent and a high degree of unpredictability, Afridi is the man.

Thank him for giving us positive headlines. Thank him for that special something that he manages to pull off in the field almost always.

Thank him for the celebration style that is almost iconic in nature for fans all over the world.

There are not many things I am sure about, but I can bet most Pakistani cricket fans will again go to bed praying for Butt’s ouster as chairman of PCB.

COMMENTS (39)

Atif | 12 years ago | Reply Ijaz Butt is the output of Zardari.There are two year still left for Zardari's Government, so wait till election, unfortunately. I request all Crazy Cricket lovers to play his role to ouster Butt in form street protest, except this we have no other alternative. Salute to Boom Boom Afridi, he played & showed his role.Thumps up! for Him....

taimur khan | 12 years ago | Reply He has given chance in bowling ,bating over and over agaiun so far in his over 300 matches he has avergae of about 24 runs , When a captan of team says while playing semi of worldcup was a milestone so what else we can expect from him.

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Abhinav | 12 years ago | Reply I am really feeling sad for all those Pakistani cricket supporters who were thinking Afridi will bring back the old glories of Pakistani cricket.

Kevin | 12 years ago | Reply Too much was riding on a World Cup victory this spring. Even if you lost it for the wrong reasons, the odds of losing that particular match were still 50%. Afridi scuffing the ball with his teeth is hardly a scandal to worry about, considering certain other incidents in cricket and the wide world of sports in general. And be thankful you still don't seem to have an equivalent in the tragicomedy department to people like Barry Bonds etc.

Sana | 12 years ago | Reply Well PCB n Mr. Ejaz Butt are known for their decisions.. The thing is that they simply don't want the team to get some consistency.. Changing captains every now and then is a game for them.. I hope that they get him back as a captain.. They are surely going to repent on their decision since alot of cricket lovers will simply not watch cricket anymore.. They are already discouraged enough by other of the decisions.. They are defaming themselves by their own decisions.. Shahid Afridi is the only guy who united the team at a time when no other did so.. Waqar Younis might have been a good cricketer but that certainly does not mean that he is a good coach.. Misbah has probably earned enough of disrespect, and so should be out now.. Lala has got a lot of cricket ahead.. People who compare him with Imran Khan should know that it was after leading the Pakistani team in 2 WC semi-finals that he brought the cup in the 3rd one.. I hope that he is back into the scene soon Inshaa Allah..

Maleeha Khan | 12 years ago | Reply misbah should b kicked out!! :@

Habiba Younis | 12 years ago | Reply absolutely agreed, and considering misbah's blunders in WC semi final im surprised he wasnt kicked out straightway from the team!

imran khan afridi | 12 years ago | Reply Whats wrong with the chairman of the Pakistan cricket board. Is he mad? What came to his mind, when he made this decision. He should have appointed misbah when Shahid Afridi was not doing captaincy well. I as Pakistani was too much disappointed by the decision of the chairman.

kamran | 12 years ago | Reply Misbah has been made captain based on his splendid captain like batting in the world cup semifinal.. he couldnt even do Miandad "shingle Dhouble"... i think there needs to be riots.. outside pcb.. mayb the taliban can threaten ijaz butt,, govt is complete failure.. pakistan cricket has become a joke.. me writing this post will not Help.. he has been in control of the board and from day 1 there have been articles on his failure... Thank God theres is English premier League.. and a team like united..which i support with passion..

Fahad Khan | 12 years ago | Reply I forgot to add, Waqar as a captain was terrible.. with those players at his disposal Pakistan got knocked out in group stages.. so speaking on a man management level, Waqar maybe considered poor on that basis alone..

Fahad Khan | 12 years ago | Reply Problem lies in egos... and clearly bad man management.. So what if the captain (Afridi now ex skipper) has some negative remarks towards the media on a few occasions, fine him or punish him so he doesn't do it again. How can you remove a guy who's won you an ODI Series in NZ, took a pretty average team I have to say to the semis, and won you the ODI series in Windies be removed, what wrong has he done as a captain.. on the other hand..you have a coach in Waqar Younis (all respect to him as a player). But I remember when he was the Pakistan Captain in 2003 world cup, he had the likes of Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar, Shoaib Akhtar, Razzaq, Inzamam, Yousaf Youhana( Mohammad Yousaf), Afridi.. and so many more at his disposal be our coach in the first place. I don't know whats going on, things need to change at the upper level, some foreigner needs to run PCB who can bring some type of ethical and sensible behavior which is lacking in this board. It's become a joke of late, something needs to happen and player's need to be guaranteed especially their captain of the assurance of their job as a countrymen and a player. Misbah's the captain, the guy is what 35-36? how long will he be captain.. another 1-2 series before's he's replaced by another? oh well, nothings going to change anyways.. so this rant is pointless..

sls | 12 years ago | Reply But did we not allow the same freedom to Inzamamul Haq? We gave him the power to pick his squad. Yes, what a fairytale ending that led to in 2007. Inzamam went from being a talented strokemaker to a despised 'dada' figure who rubbed salt into wounds by lecturing on religious matters.

Imran Ahmad Khan | 12 years ago | Reply Sathish, as you rightly mentioned, it is about Pakistan cricket. And that is exactly why this move is troubling. With regards to Misbah's appointment, age is not on his side. Its a step backwards, not to the future. Had the team not been performing well under Afridi, you could have had an argument based on performance. Yes sure, the team played its part in the World Cup but Afridi managed that team on the field and took wickets. That goes to his credit and we must accept that. It is just like people giving credit to Dhoni for India's success or to Warne for the Royals' success in IPL One. With regards to his media statements, a lot has been misquoted and it is a fact. Just don't want to get into that debate again since I have already posted my comments on someone else's article. All those who criticize him on this never bothered to see his show with Sana Buccha where he clarified his stance. Never bothered to listen to the guy trying to explain. As far as ball tampering is concerned, it is not an argument at all. Because A) he was appointed full time captain AFTER that incident and B) he was duly punished for that act. As mentioned above, what about Ricky Ponting making a mockery of sportsman spirit back in the 2005 Ashes? What about Nasser Hussain showing his anger at the National Stadium Karachi? You deal with such issues according to the rules. Besides, a question that remains unanswered: what if Misbah has issues with Waqar? What if the next captian too has problems? The PCB's role was to define each individual's domain. Changing captains is just an easy way out. A shortcut that pushes Pakistan cricket back instead of taking it forward.

Sathish Reddy | 12 years ago | Reply I think you guys should get over the Afridi fixation. I mean what is this obsession all about ??????????? So he was the highest wicket taker. And what else please?? It was great that Pak reached the WC SF. It wasn't all Afridi.It was the team Pak. Team members came together not because of Afridi, but because Team Pak was under the Kosh and people in a corner generally huddle and rally together. That was what happened. Afridi is no leader at all. He seems hot headed, bull headed and a Pathan who needs all the steel and gumption he has, to keep himself in check. That would probably explain why he has thrown away his wicket time and again - the latest being the drubbing against India. He says the " Damdest " of things and then backtracks shamelessly and gives the most hackneyed of press statements - " I was misquoted ". He was caught on camera ball tampering. For heavens sake, this is the captain of the national team. On the field or off it, he doesn,t exude any calmness, confidence or leadership. On the other hand Misbah is a picture of strength. He is calm and collected and seems to know his business. Leader ship is also about compromise and having to do well with whatever is available. No point crying all the time for perfect set ups. If Inzy was given a free reign to chose his team, in all probability the coach had a lot of confidence in Inzy's judgement. I wouldn't blame Waqar if he doesn't have the confidence in Afridi, because I, as an outsider, looking at this guy performing on the field have very little too. Misbah isn't bad. He isn't a misfit. Give him a chance. After all, it is about Pak cricket. Not Afridi or any one person.

Mazher Arshad | 12 years ago | Reply @Author I really appreciate your concern for writing this. You have submitted your point of view in very fine and impressive way. Despite the fact that I don't want Afridi as captain in team, and I am with satisfied with Misbah's appointment, still I salute you for this effort of sharing your point of view with us. @Readers, who commented here. I can see many readers who just wanna be cynic. They just comment to make themselves prominent perhaps they are jealous from authors. Some readers really don't like to appreciate the effort of author. Many, who even like Afridi as captain, will not appreciate the author because of jealousy. I am not fan of Afridi's captaincy but still I admire the effort of author. Hats off to him!

Muhammad Faysal | 12 years ago | Reply If there was a reason of joy and appeal for us Kashmiris to support Pakistan team it was him, Afridi. Ejaz should stop being a butt and resign, he did a good job as a Puppet. After Imran and Wasim, Afridi is the only one to give the hope of being the best. Afridi will be back you know the PCB games. Love from Kashmir

Imran Ahmad Khan | 12 years ago | Reply @ MN For starters, I think being the joint highest wicket taker at the Cricket World Cup is an achievement. In his first full stint as captain, he was man of the tournament at the Asia Cup. I guess that is leading from the front. And yes, I think that is totally sane. As far as Ian Chappell's comments are concerned, you really think Afridi's celebration style is a PROBLEM? You will discount all other positives and focus on his celebration style, which by the way started as long as four years ago, way before he was given the captaincy. So Afridi scuffed up the ball with his teeth: you are forgetting that he was banned by the ICC for two matches and he was put on a six-month period of probation by the PCB. In conclusion, he was punished for his actions and he apologized for it as well. If you want angels, you will not find them. Human beings make mistakes, live with that. And if this argument holds, post 2005 Ashes, Ponting should have been stripped of captaincy for his outburst at being run out by a substitue fielder. Or Nasser Hussain should have been stripped of captaincy when he broke a refrigerator at National Stadium Karachi on England's 2000-01 tour to Pakistan.

Saadia Ch. | 12 years ago | Reply PCB does not want the team to win, they want the team who obeys their idiotic decisions with bowed heads and whoever tries to fix their empty brains, is excluded from their good books. Same happened with Afridi bhai...he resisted against the idiotic decisions and irrespective of all his long bright career he was sacked. He won for the country and made the people happy, became a favorite of the nation, but not the blue eyed baby of PCB's BUTT sahb, who would prefer old horses like Misbah to obey him deaf and dumb. Sorry for Afridi Bhai and too sorry for future of cricket in Pakistan.....GOod luck to both...

MN | 12 years ago | Reply @ Writer: A captain is supposed to lead the team from the front. What has your captain done in the most crucial stages? Does that look anyway near to be called sane? Ian Chappell made very justified comments. And by the way, a ball-eater player should never be given the charge of final eleven!

amal | 12 years ago | Reply justice should be served... but we are immune to expect the worse from Pakistani institutions......

roomi | 12 years ago | Reply Success in Pakistan leads to ouster from the team! Consider Younis Khan who wins 20-20 as a Captain. As soon as he comes back from England conspiracies start to remove him. He is unoffically banned for two years. No valid reason! Mohamaed Yousaf breaks Vivian Richards record of most runs in tests in one year and soon finds himself out of the side. I think PCB is incapable of handling players or Captains who have "grown" or can make demands so ego's at the top find it convenient to get rid of the successsful players in the name of "rebuilding" or something else. Also senior players with their experience can challenge the mediocrity of the set up and hence considered a threat compared to a new kid who would replace them and just shut up and play. Saeed Anwer was sacrificed as a player after he scored a 100 (no less) in a world Cup match against India that Pakistan lost and not picked again after the tournament. Since then we never found an opener. I bet he could have played 3 years more atleast and helped groom another opener. Abdul Razzak also now in that experienced category and inexplicably dropped. Reportedly the coach waqar had probllems with him too but his innings against South africa saved him. But in the World Cup after being appallingly under utilized he finds himself in dump city himself. Pakistan cricket is full of such tales of wasted talent at the altar of self important administration..

Imran Ahmad Khan | 12 years ago | Reply @ Mr Ali Humza: First of all, the name is Imran, not Adnan :P Okay so to begin with, we won two series under Afridi (NewZealand and West Indies)...and the two bilateral series that we lost (England and South Africa) were close ones....competitions in which our team fought hard under Afridi. Its just ridiculous to sack a captain on the basis of two series losses, that too in the early days of his captaincy. You will never be able to give a leader the confidence for him to lead the side if you work this way. Regards Imran

parvez | 12 years ago | Reply You have given all the right reasons for keeping Afridi as captain and he should have been kept. The reason you give for not having Misbah is age. Do you think Ijaz Butt who must be at least 102, would take that into consideration. Sadly, it's not all about cricket anymore.

baig | 12 years ago | Reply bohat aala yaar!!! i like it!

Ashmad | 12 years ago | Reply It a revenge of Mr Rehman Malik for the comments Shahid Afridi made on allegation remarks during world Cup semis on match fixing

Asad Iqbal | 12 years ago | Reply With you on this one... Butt should be replaced not Afridi...

ARIF | 12 years ago | Reply Afridi is the one who has some potential to lead from the front and guide the others as well in the field ... Okay if u remove Afridi ..isi there any comparison b/w Afridi and Misbah ..Misbah is the one who should not be in thew team after his performance in WC semi ... but he has been given the captaincy just coz Ijaz Butt like him ...is it Ijazz Butt's personal teams or Team Pakistan

Abu Bakr | 12 years ago | Reply Captain need to be leaders, but also intellectuals. This guy was just one of those things. I'm relieved.

Atif | 12 years ago | Reply Very very good decision.

Patakha | 12 years ago | Reply ohoo what an article.. had goose bumps.. so dissappointed in pcb yet again..we need lala as captain.. why misbah.. uff, so pissed

Tribune Reader | 12 years ago | Reply Ejaz Butt is a useless sifarshee bunda (personally appointed by the president of Pakistan), and it is high time Ejaz Butt Goes, Seriously Ejaz Butt has got to go. Let us look at the failures under Ejaz Butt, reflecting his inadequacy. A. Lets start with the latest, bad impulsive decision by a man, who can barely balance himself in public B. The security failure during the SRL teams visit C. Spot Fixing Scandal D. Him accusing the ECB and getting served a legal notice by them. E. Him playing around with the career(s) of Younis Khan and M. Yousuf F. He is Ejaz Butt

Scorpion | 12 years ago | Reply Mr. Butt, do one thing for our cricket, please RESIGN.

Dr. Amyn Malik | 12 years ago | Reply The only nation in cricket to appoint captain on series by series basis. The only nation where success is rewarded by sacking and incompetence is rewarded by repeated chances. This is the world of Pakistan cricket!

closedstreet | 12 years ago | Reply Misbah proved in world cup semi final by not playing that he is the right candidate as a captain.

closedstreet | 12 years ago | Reply Thats what you can expect from any incompetent man. Ijaz Butt is just a 'but' that normally use after every constructive sentence to justify the wrong doings.

closedstreet | 12 years ago | Reply You are not getting the aim of management. The are trying to eradicate every single soul who can do better for the team or country. Afridi should have sacked long ago when he appeared to unite the nation in world cup. Sooner the cricket will be wipe out like hockey and will remember it as another our glory after hockey and squash.

Ali Humza | 12 years ago | Reply Mr Adnan could you mind focusing on the fact that we won only one series under him in entire two years, semi-finals are no good, we need to win, which he was not able to make us do.

arsaam malik | 12 years ago | Reply i salute u :)

Fahad Raza | 12 years ago | Reply Cricket is the only game in which captain matters and Shahid Afridi felt like the right choice from the start. Now as he said he is unhappy with the Butt regime he is crucified.

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Afridi's removal: Bad, bad decision!

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