The drama in Pakistan Cricket is not new, for there is always something controversial brewing behind the scenes, which comes out in the most abrupt way possible.
The drama in Pakistan Cricket is not new, for there is always something controversial brewing behind the scenes, which comes out in the most abrupt way possible. From changing captains, coaches and chairmen to mismanagement of injured players, there has never been any shortage of disputation over the years.
Another case regarding botching up a player with a fractured thumb has surfaced, with the cricketer blaming prominent names. The concerned player is the leg-spinner Usman Qadir, the son of former Pakistani spinner Abdul Qadir.
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Usman narrated the story about his injury in the England series before the T20 World Cup. In a chat with a YouTube channel Hafiz Muhammad Imran, Qadir stated his case was mishandled to keep him out of the squad.
“When we were playing England before the 2022 World Cup, I fractured my thumb,” Usman said. “This is very interesting… I fractured my thumb: after playing seven T20Is (against England), we went to New Zealand. People said, ‘Your thumb was broken, you’re only travelling around for fun.’ Did I ask to be picked in the squad? They assured me I needed two weeks to rest and recover. Dr Naj (Najeeb Soomro, PCB’s chief medical officer at that point) from Australia – I told him, ‘There’s no swelling on my thumb anymore, it’s not blue, and it’s moving easily, I am able to grip the ball and bowl properly’. He said ‘Let’s see’.”
Usman Qadir added when he went to practice in the nets the next day, Saqlain Mushtaq stopped him by stating the chaos within the board would intensify if someone made his video. He sent Qadir for an X-ray.
“I went to the nets the next day and bowled. Saqlain (Mushtaq) Bhai said, ‘What are you doing? You can’t bowl before the 14th day.’ When I asked him why, he said, ‘The chaos within the board will intensify if someone videographs you bowling.’ Instead, he asked me to go for an X-ray. When the X-ray came back, the doctor said I had two fractures. I was surprised: ‘I was told one fracture in Pakistan, you’re saying two.’ He said, ‘You need to rest.’ I understood what games they were playing.”
Revealing the details further, Usman Qadir added he asked for the fitness clearance before the tri-series final, but the management didn’t provide him. He was also dropped from the T20 World Cup squad.
“In the tri-nation final against New Zealand, I asked them for fitness clearance. They said we will let you know after the final. We won the series. The team was announced later, and I was out of the World Cup. I had been picked before, but now I was out. I was still fine, I’d be in reserves. I requested them to go back to Pakistan – ‘I’m anyway a reserve. I can at least play first class.’ They refused. After the WC, there was a big period – Test series, ODIs, no T20Is. There was PSL, and then the NZ series.”
Usama qadir exposed how babar Azam pic.twitter.com/lbSWLRHPbN
— jassi Roy (@62Head80797) May 6, 2024
Qadir revealed that his doctor messaged him, saying he knew the leg-spinner was fit for the World Cup.
“After the WC, there was a big period – Test series, ODIs, no T20Is. There was PSL, and then the NZ series. After the PSL, I wasn’t picked, and the doctor messaged me. He said, ‘You are a good bowler, I know you would make a comeback.’ I messaged him, ‘I kept insisting you I’m fit, let me play. You didn’t listen to me. This has all happened because of you.’ He said, ‘Yes, I agree, you were fine in the World Cup’.”
Qadir concluded he had all the evidence about such a big mismanagement. However, he is not sure who would listen to him since everyone knows what’s happening inside the camp.
“Who should I tell that they did this to me? I have proof and screenshots, and all evidence. How do I explain that one person has done this to my career? He was the kind of doctor who wouldn’t know which medicine to take for fever. In Pakistan, I had one fracture. When I travelled, I had two. When I wasn’t selected for the World Cup, the doc said I’m a good bowler and I will be selected, and that I was actually fine to play the World Cup. Which PCB official should I go to and tell all this? Everyone knows everything (in the team). What do I say?”
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