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After the debacle in New Zealand, changes in the Sharjah squad had become inevitable. The new outfit is doing very well. But we should keep one factor in view the Sharjah pitch is just like portable wicket in New Zealand. On the easy paced subcontinent strips most of the batsmen thrive because of low bounce beside that the Kiwis are a weak combination with due difference to them they are not even a second grade outfit. So we should not be labouring under any delusions. In fact we must work hard with application and concentration to regain our position.

As far as Waqar Younis is concerned he is the right choice owing to the absence of an unfit Moin Khan. He is proving a good captain. As I keep saying being a good cricketer is one thing and having good sense of the game is another. A world class player is not necessarily an intelligent skipper. Inzamam is definitely an outstanding batsman but his broad shoulders should not be saddled with extra load that could affect his batting.

With the induction of three youngsters, Shahid Afridi, Imran Nazir and Shoaib Malik our fielding has taken a quantum jump. This is a significant improvement that will be an added asset on the England tour. Along with this we must ensure the inclusion of Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar, Moin Khan will hopefully be fit for the England tour and ready to resume his captaincy. He should be conscious of his leadership role as he is the only person groomed for the job through training and experience.

I distinctly remember that he had his little finger fractured by Shoaib Akhtar's snorter on eve of the 1999 World Cup but he valiantly went with his brilliant keeping and batting.

We will have to pick our squad for England carefully. Sharjah outing should not mislead us. The conditions there are cut-out for us. In England the first half of the season will be laden with heavy atmosphere and rain.

England will be a tough challenge. Their bowlers particularly Andrew Caddick and Darren Gough will be, much better and likely to pose problems in their home environment.

Last week I came across an interview by Air Marshal (Rtd) Nur Khan, the former board president, his service in the realm of sports are indeed commendable. But the damage of his distorted and dictatorial decisions did to cricket during his tenure can not be overlooked. The adverse impact of that era is irreversible.

I will recount just a few incidents and instances. In 1980 Pakistan won the Test series 2-0 against Australia and did not loss even a side match. But since the selectors did not toe the Air Marshal's line he sacked the selection committee. Such an arbitrary act elsewhere would have caused a furore. And then in the presence of such stalwarts as Majid Khan, Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Iqbal Qasim, he appointed Javed Miandad as captain against Sri Lanka. On this the senior players protested and nine of them did not play for Pakistan.

When these stars asserted their legitimate right Nur Khan styled justified action as player power.

A year before that in 1981 on the eve of the Australian tour the chairman of the selection committee has to quit and the board councillors selected the team and an unprecedented step taken by the all powerful boss. His realm of authority raised flurry of controversies both in cricket and hockey.

In late 70s the PIA team lost against the Sindh B-side because a great player like Hanif Mohammad was replaced as captain by Wasim Bari when players like Intikhab Alam, Mushtaq Mohammad, Pervez Sajjad were there. That such a strong team lost to Sindh B who had no reputed player was an irony. Then too Nur Khan was at the helm of the affairs in PIA. Today he says the PCB boss should step down. If he had set this tradition in his own days his demand now could had some sense.

Mercifully, the then president of Pakistan and patron of the PCB refused to extend the tenure of the Air Marshal. Today he says the players are our treasure and the ones who deliver. Had he forgotten the maxim when he threw away the treasure to feed his ego?

© Dawn