Imran Khan

Karachi: The legendary Imran Khan on Wednesday slammed the Pakistan team management for not only playing defensive cricket but adopting “atrocious” strategies which, he said, have led to the recent slump in one-dayers.

Imran said Pakistan were guilty of not giving a bigger role to their best batsmen in the team and was also highly critical of the appointment of Jonty Rhodes as the fielding coach.

“In one-day cricket, other teams put their best batsmen at No. 2, 3, 4 and 5. But Pakistan keep their best batsman at No. 6 and 7. Inzamam-ul Haq ran out of partners in Abu Dhabi because he was batting lower down the order. I don’t know who is behind these atrocious decisions,” Imran said.

He also questioned the role of coach Bob Woolmer in the team after the appointment of Rhodes. “What will Bob Woolmer do now?” Imran said sarcastically when asked about his opinion on the appointment of Rhodes.

“The Pakistan cricket team has a bowling coach. Now they have a fielding coach and the skipper himself is a batsman. I don’t understand what Bob Woolmer will do?” he wondered.

Rhodes, a former South African batsman who is regarded highly for his fielding skills, will spend two weeks with the Pakistan players and work on their fielding skills before their departure for the tour of England.

Another former captain and coach Javed Miandad has also criticised the PCB for its decision to hire Rhodes, saying it was “nothing but a waste of money.”

Imran said fielding could not be improved by the appointment of a bowling coach.

“Fielding can’t be improved by appointing coaches. Australia and South Africa are excellent fielding sides without any fielding coaches,” Imran said.

“The PCB has to understand that Australia and South Africa are good fielding sides because their players play (domestic cricket) on good grounds and in near perfect structure.

“Pakistan’s fielding will improve only if domestic cricket is played on good grounds and the complicated cricket structure is simplified and departmental cricket is abolished,” Imran, a constant critic of domestic cricket structure in the country, said.

The World Cup winning captain also slammed the PCB for keeping fast bowler Mohammed Sami out of the national team.

“You have a fast bowling coach but Sami, who bowls at 90mphs but is struggling to claim wickets, is being kept out. Is this (what) you call strategy? If you keep him out without helping him sort out his problems, how will you win?