Players’ power caused Pakistan U19 debacle

By Ahmed Jatt

KARACHI: Pakistan cricket and controversy are correlative and this time players’ power proved the bone of contention of a searing controversy as Pakistan U19 cricket team displayed worst performance in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2012 concluded recently in Australia with India U19 clinching the title.

Serious conflict between captain Babar Azam and coach Sabih Azhar was the main cause behind dismal performance of Pakistan U19 Cricket Team in the ICC U19 World Cup 2012: Sources

Pakistan U19 team’s performance stunned all and sundry as the team had defeated the runners-up Australia U19 in a three-match series by 2-1 in the pre-tournament series but since losing to India U19 in the quarterfinal after a tough contest, Pakistani team continued losing badly to the hands of Bangladesh U19 and West Indies U19 thus finishing eighth in the tournament.

Sources, which were with the team during the ICC U19 World Cup, told TheSportsNext.com on Tuesday that Pakistan U19 team was dispersed because of players’ power.

Sources claimed that Pakistani U19 captain Babar Azam and coach Sabih Azhar had developed serious conflict on some issues while players’ power was the other issue that hampered the team’s performance in the ICC’s flagship event. Due to these differences between captain and coach, the dressing room atmosphere was tense, the sources added.

Sources further revealed that Pakistani U19captain Babar Azam mostly misbehaved with coach Sabih Azhar and team manager Haroon Rasheed was the central character behind all this as he kept instigating Azam.

"Their differences were not hidden. When Sabih Azhar devised strategy for crucial matches of the tournament, Babar Azam openly opposed his tactics and eventually rejected them in the field saying if we go with this strategy we would lose the match" sources said adding, "Sometimes Babar Azam changed the batting order too, which was the cause of their conflict".

It is important to mention here that Pakistani team lost quarter final match against India by one wicket thereafter losing their remaining matches of the competition against Bangladesh and West Indies.

Pakistan U19 finished with 8th position, which was the worst performance by a Pakistani team in the history of ICC U19 World Cups.