Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Wasim has opened up about his tenure as the chief selector of the men's cricket team, shedding light on the significant challenges he encountered, particularly in dealing with Babar Azam, Pakistan's white-ball captain.
Wasim shared his experiences during an interview, revealing the hurdles he faced in trying to implement changes within the squad.
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What Challenges did Mohammad Wasim face with Babar Azam?
In the interview, Wasim did not hold back when discussing his difficulties with Babar Azam. He described the star batsman as "very stubborn" and often unwilling to accept the changes suggested by the selection committee.
Wasim emphasized that it was particularly challenging to convince Babar of the benefits that certain squad adjustments could bring.
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“It was painful to make him understand the advantages of changes. He was very stubborn, and I overstepped my limitations to get him on board with certain calls. He was not ready to accept changes,” Wasim explained.
How did the team's internal issues affect Pakistan's performance?
Beyond his challenges with Babar, Wasim also unveiled deeper issues within the team, which he believes were detrimental to Pakistan's success.
He claimed that four coaches had identified a particular group of players within the squad as a negative influence, referring to them as "cancer" for the team. According to him, these players were obstacles to the team's chances of winning.
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“I will not take names, but four coaches said that a group of players is cancer to the team. If they are part of the squad, Pakistan can’t win. I tried to remove them from the team, but the team management recalled them,” Wasim stated.
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