Mohammad Hafeez will have to perform to retain the captaincy, says Zaheer ... - bettor.com (blog)

Mohammad Hafeez will have to perform to retain the captaincy, says Zaheer Abbas – Cricket News Update

Former Pakistan captain, Zaheer Abbas, has backed Mohammad Hafeez, as the captain in the shortest format of the game and feels that Misbah ul Haq was under immense pressure because he was taking care of the Green Shirts in all the three formats of the game.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced three different squads for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka and made some notable changes in the national team. There has been a lot of criticism on Misbah since last six months because of his age and as a result, PCB has appointed Hafeez as the captain in T20 cricket.

Zaheer, who is known as the ‘Asian Bradman’, thinks that Misbah will be feeling relieved as his responsibilities have been shared with the opening batsman now.

While speaking to Pakpassion, the former top-order batsman said that Hafeez is a mature cricketer and he will do a good job for the country.

He said, “It’s a good decision by the board – Misbah was captain for all formats which is a bit of a hassle for any captain as its puts too much pressure on one person.”

Considering the fact that the ICC World T20 is just round the corner, it is a massive step taken by the board. Pakistan is the only team in the world which qualified for the semi-finals in all the three World Cups played so far. Therefore, Hafeez will be under a lot of pressure to deliver the goods.  

Zaheer further added that there are not many options for Pakistan at the moment as Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi are at the twilight of their careers and Shoaib Malik has been out of form with the bat in recent times. This is the reason why PCB was not left with any choice but Hafeez. However, former captain is of the opinion that the all-rounder will have to perform in order to retain his leadership.

“He, really, is the only choice and the reason is very simple as he is scoring runs and taking wickets for the team and this consistency has been rewarded. His future elevation to captain from vice captain will be based on his performance in those types of formats but If he performs well then obviously that will be the right choice,” the legendary batsman added.

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Cricket scam bowler Mohammad Asif released from jail - The Independent

Asif, 29, the former world number two Test bowler, was freed from Canterbury Prison in Kent this morning, according to his lawyers, SJS Solicitors, based in Balham, south London.

He was one of three Pakistan cricketers who received custodial sentences at London's Southwark Crown Court in November over a scandal that rocked world sport.

Ex-Test captain Salman Butt, 27, was jailed for two and a half years for his role as the "orchestrator" of a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in the 2010 Lord's Test against England.

Mohammad Amir, 19, who had been tipped to become one of the all-time great fast bowlers, was released from Portland Prison in Dorset in February after serving half of his six-month sentence.

Mazhar Majeed, 36, the corrupt London-based sports agent at the heart of the fixing scandal, was jailed for two years and eight months.

All three players are serving five-year bans from cricket imposed by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The fixing scandal emerged after an undercover News of the World reporter approached Majeed in August 2010 pretending to be a wealthy Indian businessman seeking major international cricketers for a tournament.

The agent, from Croydon, south London, was secretly filmed accepting £150,000 in cash from the journalist as part of an arrangement to rig games.

Majeed promised the reporter that Asif and Amir would deliver three no-balls at specific points during the Test between Pakistan and England at Lord's from August 26 to 29, 2010.

He claimed he had been carrying out fixing for two and a half years and had seven players from Pakistan's national side working for him.

Explaining why he bowled a no-ball when Majeed said he would, Asif alleged that Butt told him, "run faster, f***er", moments before his delivery.

The trial judge, Mr Justice Cooke, said there was no evidence that Asif had taken part in fixing before the Lord's match but added: "It is hard to see how this could be an isolated occurrence for you."

Asif took his 100th Test wicket during Pakistan's 2010 series in England.

He had run into controversy before. He twice tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug nandrolone and was held in Dubai for 19 days in 2008 after opium was found in his wallet.

Amir and Butt failed in an attempt to have their sentences reduced at the Court of Appeal in November.

PA

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