PCB’s switch hit

Pakistan cricket: Will Malik end up captaining Pakistan again?

All-rounder Shoaib Malik has been given all clear to represent Pakistan once again. His matter remained unsolved for a long time, since PCB’s integrity committee had refused to grant him clearance doubting the source of his deposits in a foreign bank. Now that has been granted, paving the way for Malik to storm back in.

The news should come as a huge relief for the all-rounder, as in a statement he had termed his exclusion from the World Cup as ‘the biggest set back of his life’.

The decision to recall him will have major implications for the national team in coming days. Some quarters already are terming this as a blow to

fair play within Pakistan cricket set-up. They say that a player under corruption cloud will only hamper the improved atmosphere in the team.

At a time when we are moving away from the ghosts of the past, Malik’s inclusion is a travesty in a sense that transition has been tempered with. If Malik is back, then what is wrong in recalling Mohammad Yousuf and Shahid Afridi, although latter had announced ‘conditional’ retirement.

Does this mean good news for Danish Kaneria too? Kamran Akmal too would have had his hopes of a come back revived. If all this happens, it will only show naivety and incompetence, if not malpractice, on the part of PCB, as only the banned trio will miss out on a come back. Were they the only culprits in a corrupt set of contacts? A big question mark!

Shoaib Malik is a good utility player but not in the league that he was badly missed by Pakistan, in any form of the game. He averages in early thirties in both Tests and ODIS which is not good for a player who plays primarily as a batsman. The fact that Pakistan has some good emerging players like Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, and Umar Akmal in the middle order, recalling Malik seems ridiculous to say the least.

The reason given by the PCB is that the team needs an experienced hand in the batting department. In the presence of Misbah, Younis and Taufeeq Umar, do we need a mediocre player like Malik to fill the space left by the likes of Mohammad Yousuf and Inzamam-ul-Haq? When a player like Mohammad Yousuf, who can still play for a year or two, is sitting out, what additional quality Malik will add?

More than inducting Malik, it would have been pertinent for the cricket authorities to give confidence to a young player. Now if he sneaks in the playing eleven - most likely he will – it will be at the cost of either Asad or Umar, or both. The development of both these young players would be on the line, a cost which Pakistan can ill afford.

Some circles are talking about giving Malik a second chance to captain Pakistan, at least in the limited overs version. If this happens, it will be a fairytale return for Malik, but not for Pakistan cricket.