We missed Akhtar and Mohammad, say Pakistani greats by AFP

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Player:	Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif
Event:	ICC Champions Trophy 2006/07

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DateLine: 28th October 2006

 

Pakistani greats Saturday lamented the team's early exit from the Champions Trophy and said they had missed their banned captain and dope-tainted bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif.

 

Pakistan's weakened line-up were bowled out for just 89 in their must-win match against South Africa after being set a target of 213.

 

Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq is serving a ban for bringing the game into disrepute and Akhtar and Asif were pulled out of the squad last week after they tested positive for nandrolone.

 

"The pitch at Mohali would have been ideal for Asif and he would have been unplayable on such a pitch," said former captain Imran Khan.

 

"Akhtar would have been useful and Inzamam would have given Pakistan the strength as a reliable batsman."

 

Khan singled out stand-in captain Younis Khan for his poor shot selection after falling for seven.

 

"When Younis got out the whole team got demoralised. Had he fought, the whole team would have fought for him just like Inzamam did against England last year," said Khan, referring to Inzamam's superb batting in Pakistan's 2-0 win against England.

 

"I am surprised at the defensive attitude, in a do-or-die match you adopt an aggressive approach which Pakistan did not have," he added.

 

Khan, now a member of the country's national parliament, said Pakistan must recover quickly before the World Cup in the West Indies next March and April.

 

"Pakistan will have to regroup quickly and the fear to lose a match should be eliminated. We won the World Cup from nowhere because we had no fears of losing," said Khan, who led Pakistan to their only World Cup title in Australia in 1992.

 

"I hope this defeat give Pakistan team an opportunity and they select proper players rather than bits and pieces ones. For me leg-spinner Danish Kaneria should have been in the side because he is a strike bowler," he said.

 

Moin Khan, another former captain, said Pakistan's batsmen had let them down.

 

"I am surprised Pakistan did not attack after getting five South African wickets quickly. We should have had Kaneria in the team just like we had Mushtaq Ahmed in the 1992 World Cup because Mushtaq used to buy us wickets," he said.

 

The team was due to return later Saturday. Pakistan will face West Indies in three Tests and five one-day internationals at home starting next month.

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)