KARACHI - Disgruntled all-rounder, Muhammad Hafeez, who was left out of the national squad due to an injury, feels Pakistan think-tank made several blunders in the World Cup opener against arch-rivals India.
Hafeez, who has been sent back from Australia due to a calf muscle injury, said on a local news channel that the tour selectors made a mistake by opting to open with Younis Khan. "When you have asked for Nasir Jamshed because of his excellent one-day record against India why not play him and why opt for a makeshift opener in such a big match," Hafeez said.
The experienced allrounder minced no words in stating that he didn't think Younis should have been picked in the final playing eleven against India. "Similarly it was mistake to use Umar Akmal as a wicketkeeper. I would have gone with Sarfaraz Ahmed who is the only specialist keeper in the side," he said.
Hafeez also maintained that Umar Akmal was rightly given out caught behind and there should be no controversy attached to his dismissal. The senior opener also reiterated that he was shattered by the team management's decision to send him back from Australia. "I maintain my injury was not serious and I will recover in 10-days time. I would have been fit before the second game against West Indies," he said. "I really don't know why they decided to not retain me because I told them I wanted to stay and get fit as I had prepared hard for the World Cup," Hafeez added.
The former T20 captain also didn't shy away from saying that Misbah-ul-Haq was no longer calling the shots in team selection and was not as strong as before. "You have a selector with the team in Australia and he is involved in selection matters," Hafeez said and added between the lines that chief selector Moin Khan and head coach, Waqar Younis were now calling the shots and selecting the playing XI.