He just wanted to save himself

Former Pakistan cricketer slammed opening batter Imam-ul-Haq for his decision to retire hurt in the third and final ODI against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui on April 5. Having already conceded the series with crushing losses in the first two ODIs, Pakistan was playing only for pride in the series finale.

In a reduced 42-over game, Pakistan were set a daunting target of 265 for victory. However, a throw at Imam’s end struck his helmet after he had defended the ball on the off-side and sprinted for a single. After the physio attended to the left-hander, he retired hurt and did not return to bat.

Talking about the same on his YouTube channel, Basit Ali said (Via Hindustan Times):

“Imam got scared after being hit and walked off. He just wanted to save himself. Does he think we can’t see? All of these players want money. It’s the tragedy of Pakistan cricket. There’s no one to replace them. Even if you sit out in one series, you can come back in the next.”

Usman Khan replaced Imam (1 off 7 deliveries) as the concussion substitute, coming in at the fall of the first wicket.

“In my eyes, today was the black day in Pakistan cricket. Even for those who left the game. When Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis used to bowl, the New Zealand batters couldn’t move their foot. Now, they’re doing commentary and criticising us. They were laughing at us when Pakistan sent Usman Khan as concussion substitute,” said Basit.

Despite a better effort in comparison to the opening two ODIs, Pakistan surrendered eventually to a 43-run defeat.

“His captaincy was so bad” – Basit Ali on Mohammad Rizwan

Basit Ali did not mince words in criticizing Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan for his dismal moves in the New Zealand series. Coming off a forgettable first-round exit in the home Champions Trophy under Rizwan, Pakistan suffered a 0-3 ODI series whitewash at New Zealand’s hands.

“Where was Rizwan (when Imam left the field)? His captaincy was so bad, he doesn’t even know who to bowl at what overs. It’s like school cricket,” said Basit.

Captaincy aside, Rizwan had an underwhelming ODI series with the bat, finishing with only 72 runs in three matches at an average of 24. With the wicketkeeper batter excluded for the T20I series before the ODIs, Pakistan lost 1-4 to the Kiwis in a forgettable New Zealand tour.

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Venkatesh has been writing cricket news, listicle and feature articles for Sportskeeda for over a year. He loves cricket because of the diversity of the playing fields and its unparalleled nuances, which no other sport presents. He also enjoys the analytical and quantitative side of the sport, which originates from his MBA degree and 10 years of experience in the IT industry in companies like Infosys, Atos and TCS.

Venkatesh ensures proper research from reliable sources and social media trends to gather information, and adds his own dash of creativity to create insightful content.

He started watching cricket in the late 1990s, having been impressed with South Africa and New Zealand’s gentleman-like attitude. Domestically, he supports the Chennai Super Kings for their ability to bring the best out of their players owing to a friendly and conducive team environment.

He admires three cricketers the most – Brian Lara for his batting style, AB de Villiers for changing the paradigm of batting and MS Dhoni for his unique cerebral approach to field placings and batting. Along with cricket, Venkatesh also enjoys watching and playing tennis and basketball. In his free time, he finds pleasure in singing and watching movies and web series.

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Edited by Vaishnavi Iyer