Mates accuse Shoaib of spoiling unity in team

Banned former captain Shoaib Malik was seen as a “negative character and a bad influence” on the Pakistan cricket team by senior players like Shahid Afridi and Mohd Yousuf, the leaked video of a PCB inquiry committee’s proceedings has revealed.

The video has statements by Pakistan’s former coaches, Intikhab Alam and Aaqib Javed and players Rana Naved, Yousuf, Afridi and Malik himself. From their comments it becomes apparent that Malik is the most unpopular person in the team. After listening to the comments about Malik, one committee member rem-arks, “Dimak ki tarah tha wo (He was like termite).”

“He is a negative person and he creates problems. I wanted him to be sent back home,” former coach Intikhab Alam is heard telling the committee members.

Former assistant coach Aaqib Javed also has no good words for Malik but insists that the all-rounder is not the only one creating disunity in the team.

The comments made by former captain, Muhammad Yousuf about Malik reveal the strong differences between them. “He played politics all the time. Former chairman, Dr Nasim Ashraf made a big blunder and hurt Pakistan cricket when he appointed Malik as captain in 2007 though his place in the side was also not confirmed. This also led to other players believing they could become captain, it set a wrong precedent in Pakistan cricket,” Yousuf says.

Malik in his deposition also has no complimentary things to say about Yousuf describing him as a man with many problems.

“I went out during water break in the Sydney Test in Australia on the final day and told him to attack Mike Hussey but he didn’t listen. His captaincy in Australia was pathetic, he has no confidence to take decisions,” Malik tells committee members.

Malik also tells the committee members that he never wants to captain Pakistan again and just wants to play as an member of the team. “When I have no ambitions to be captain why should I create problems in the team? What purpose does it serve me?” he asks the committee members.

Interestingly, Shahid Afridi says Malik indulges in back biting. “I told him that if he continues this practice of adopting double standards he will not survive in the team for too long and I will not have him in the team if I am made captain,” says Afridi.