Ask Inzamam about Fawad Alam’s non-selection, says Sethi
October 18, 2017
KARACHI: Fawad Alam’s continued non-selection in the Pakistan team is anybody’s guess, but Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi had something to say about the perplexing matter on Wednesday.
During a press conference following his meeting with Chief Minister Sindh on hosting of PSL matches in Karachi, Sethi was asked about the deliberate ignorance of Fawad’s domestic performances, to which he replied that Chief Selector Inzamam, not him, should be asked this question.
“Ask Inzamam about Fawad’s non-selection. I won’t recommend on his behalf,” the PCB chairman said.
“I can recommend him but I cannot force [the selectors],” Sethi added.
“If you [media] feel that Fawad Alam should be selected, then [you should] pressurise Inzamam.”
Fawad Alam has, as usual, been on a run-scoring streak this season, smashing yet another century in the country’s premier first class tournament, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, earlier this month. Many had hoped that he would be an automatic choice after retirement of Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan, but it did not happen. Selectors ignored the mountain of runs piled by Fawad and again picked other players over him for series against Sri Lanka.
To put things in perspective, Fawad Alam’s batting average of 56.38 in 220 first class innings is third best among all the batsmen who made their first class debuts in 2000s. The only two players with better averages than Fawad are India’s Pujara and Australia’s Steve Smith.
In last three seasons, Fawad scored 2070 runs at an average of 59.14.
