PCB orders investigation into disunity rumours

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is to investigate the alleged disharmony in the team that has performed so pathetically in the Asian Test Championship final.

A highly placed source in the PCB said instructions were delivered to the team manager Yawar Saeed Friday to evaluate the performance of every player "both on and off the field" and submit the report as soon as possible.

"The manager has been specifically asked to discuss the mental approach of every individual before going into the crunch match against Sri Lanka as we have information that all is not well in the camp," sources said, adding: "It has been an amazing turn-around in the last two weeks."

"There looks disagreement within the team that looked united and well-knit unit in Sharjah. The matter needs immediate attention and addressed so that the situation doesn't get out of hands."

A PCB official, however, played down the issue, saying: "It's a normal procedure to examine all aspects of the game and investigate reasons of a bad performance which, realistically speaking, is unexpected."

Serious differences seems to have surfaced amongst the senior players, and between the captain and the team officials over the exclusion of Saqlain Mushtaq from the starting line-up, overlooking Wasim Akram from the squad of 14 and preparing a lively track with a green square for the final in the background that the top order had struggled in the four Tests against Bangladesh and the West Indies.

Coach Mudassar Nazar has already claimed he was not consulted when the selectors finalized 14 players while skipper Waqar Younis is on records having said Shoaib Malik was preferred over Saqlain because of his better batting technique.

Chairman of selectors Wasim Bari has minced no words in saying that he disapproved Waqar's initial idea of promoting Shoaib on top of the order along with Taufiq Umer.

Informed sources said almost all the players have approached the highest authorities and have expressed their displeasure against Waqar Younis.