Misbah unhappy over not consulted in team selection

Karachi: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has conveyed his unhappiness to the Pakistan Cricket Board over not being consulted in the selection of the squad for the ongoing tour of Zimbabwe.

The national selectors, functioning without a chief selector, announced T20, ODI and Test squads for the Zimbabwe tour earlier this month while Misbah was away in the West Indies playing in the Caribbean Premier League. Misbah met the PCB chief Najam Sethi yesterday and conveyed his reservations about the selection committee, besides discussing the late payments of match fees to the players. "Misbah is not happy at the selection process for the Zimbabwe tour and said he was not consulted in the entire process," the source said. "Apparently Misbah felt that Rizwan Ahmed who was sent to the West Indies as wicketkeeper should have been tried when Umar Akmal was ruled out of the series," he added. The selectors included Rizwan in the Pakistan Under-23 squad playing in the ACC Emerging teams Cup in Singapore, while recalled Adnan Akmal for the two Tests in Zimbabwe and retained Umar Akmal as keeper in the T20 and ODI squads. Umar, however, has been called back by the board due to some medical issues and Misbah felt Rizwan could have been given a chance in his place. "Misbah felt that when Umar was ruled out of the series, instead of sending Sarfraz Ahmed to Zimbabwe for the T20 and ODI matches the selectors should have given Rizwan a chance," the source said. Misbah, skipper of the ODI and Test sides, will join the team before the One-day series in Zimbabwe. Interestingly, while Misbah appreciated the appointment of former captain Moin Khan as manager of the national team, the source said he had sought clear directions from the PCB on the job description and domain of the newly appointed manager. PTI