- Coach Hesson, Aqib Javed interfered in selection issues: sources.
- Dar complains that 20 players are selected but captain, coach selected wrong 15.
- Salman Agha showed no resistance to selection issues, says Dar
KARACHI: Following Pakistan’s poor performance in the Super Four stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and the team’s exit from the event, a member of the national selection committee, Aleem Dar, has decided to step down.
According to highly reliable sources, the ICC Elite Panel umpire stepped down due to extraordinary interference in selection matters by head coach Mike Hesson and the silence of influential selection committee member Aaqib Javed.
Aleem Dar complains that the selectors had announced Pakistan’s best 20 players, but then the captain and coach picked the wrong 15, followed by wrong selections in the playing XI. As a result, voters are left to face only criticism.
During the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Aleem Dar had expressed reservations about the inclusion of former captain Babar Azam and all-rounder Shadab Khan in the squad despite their lack of performance. However, captain Salman Ali Agha, who according to Aleem Dar did not even deserve a place in the squad as captain along with Aaqib Javed, showed no resistance. Coach Mike Hesson obviously had the final say in selection matters.
Aleem Dar had also suggested that experienced wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan should be played at number six in place of wicketkeeper Usman Khan. His view was that if Shadab and Babar could be part of the team despite their underperformance, then Mohammad Rizwan also deserved another opportunity.
In the current circumstances, Aleem Dar’s resignation is considered a principled decision. He believes that Allah has given him great respect through cricket and he does not want to work as a puppet; therefore it is better for him to resign.
