Senator alleges Misbah was forced to pick Umar, Shehzad for Sri Lanka T20Is

• Senator Mushahidullah says Misbah-ul-Haq didn't want to pick Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal.
• Senate Standing Committee have expressed displeasure over Pakistan 3-0 whitewash against Sri Lanka.

Pakistan Muslim League –Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Mushahidullah Khan has alleged that Pakistan cricket chief selector-cum- head coach Misbah-ul-Haq was forced to include Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal in the T20 squad against Sri Lanka in the recently concluded T20I series.

The Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) that met with Senator Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Nasar in the chair at the Parliament House expressed their displeasure over Pakistan’s humiliating 3-0 home defeat at the hands of inexperienced Sri Lanka in T20I series.

Senator Mushahidullah alleged that Pakistan cricketers Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad were included in the T20 squad as a favour, as Misbah-ul-Haq was pressurised to include these players that resulted in Pakistan defeat.

Ahmed and Umar made a comeback in the T20I squad for Pakistan, but the duo failed to live up to hype as the two batsmen were unable to perform against Sri Lanka.

The Senate Committee Chairman Sardar Yaqoob Nasar said the defeat of Pakistan team from a weakened Sri Lankan team was surprising.

The meeting was attended among others by Senators Abida Muhammad Azim, Azam Khan Swati, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Faisal Javed, Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Dr Fehmida Mirza, Secretary for Inter-Provincial Coordination Akhter Durrani, Director Domestic Cricket PCB Haroon-ur-Rasheed, and officials from ministry and relevant government departments.