Former Pakistan cricket stars Mohammad Yousuf and Shahid Afridi voiced strong fears over the two-time champions Lahore Qalandars’ selection strategy following the team’s stony start to their PSL X campaign.
Both cricketing myths have questioned the franchise’s decision to comprise uncapped opener Mohammad Naeem, chiefly at the outflow of more established national performers.
On a native sports show, Mohammad Yousuf did not grip back, stating his surprise at the presence of Naeem.
“I’ve caught Mohammad Naeem’s name for the first time. Has he played any first-class cricket? I don’t know what kind of actor he is. I’ve only seen him face 10-11 balls. They have Mohammad Akhlaq, who is a strange player with first-class knowledge. How can they pick somebody with no experience over someone more experienced?” Yousuf remarked.
Afridi rebounded similar worries with a brief but pointed remark: “Credit bhi to lena hai,” signifying that the decision to pick Naeem over more experienced options appeared questionable.
Naeem, who has only played 7 T20 games, has been given the initial role along Fakhar.
Despite reports of strong performances in training, his offerings in the Qalandars’ opening two PSL games have been unsatisfactory, managing just 8 and 10 runs for a total of 18.
The Lahore Qalandars lost the PSL opener against Islamabad United and won their second match in a high-scoring meeting against Quetta Gladiators.
They have thrashed to find constancy in their top order. While Fakhar Zaman has shown blazes of wisdom, the promotion of the comparatively inexperienced Naeem—who has negligible cricket experience—has raised eyebrows.
