Pakistan Spent Money, Built Stadiums, But Didn’t Pay Attention To The Team: Kaneria

Pakistan spent money, built stadiums, but didn’t pay attention to the team: Kaneria (Image Source: IANS)

National Bank Stadium: Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria exposes the key flaw in Pakistan cricket after their disastrous run in the Champions Trophy, of which they were the host and became the first team to crash out of the tournament. He said that PCB spent a lot of money organising the mega event but failed to pay attention to the team and its preparation.

When India defeated Australia in the semifinal, Pakistan's hopes of organising the final of the event, which they were hosting, were dashed. As per the hybrid formula agreed by Pakistan and ICC, the final was played in Dubai, instead of the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Speaking to IANS, Kaneria also rubbished the talks of India having an advantage of playing all its matches in Dubai, including the final, and said such things are beyond understanding.

After the semifinal win, India head coach Gautam Gambhir had also slammed critics for claiming that India have an ‘undue advantage’ due to them playing all Champions Trophy games at the same venue and told the ‘perpetual cribbers’ to ‘grow up.’

"For the next two or three days, there will be discussions about how Pakistan was the host and India won the trophy. Many people in Pakistan were talking about how India had the advantage. I don't understand how such things can be said... (Dubai) It wasn’t India’s home ground. It used to be Pakistan's home ground.

"I don't think India has played matches in Dubai before the Champions Trophy. This same question was asked by a Pakistani journalist to Gautam Gambhir, and he gave a very apt and sharp response," Kaneria told IANS.

Pakistan reportedly spent 16 million dollars to upgrade the three venues, including upgrades to National Bank Stadium (Karachi), Gaddafi Stadium (Lahore), and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

"Pakistan spent a lot of money, built stadiums, but the one thing they should have focused on – the team – they didn’t paid attention to. Pakistan was the host, yet they were the first to be eliminated from the tournament, while India remained unbeaten. Pakistan had to hand the trophy to India, which, in a way, was like the icing on the cake. When the Champions Trophy was announced, Pakistan made a lot of unnecessary noise..." he added.

Mohammad Rizwan-led side crashed out of the Champions Trophy in the group stage without any win to their name. They lost their opening game to New Zealand by 60 runs in Karachi, before suffering a six-wicket defeat to archrivals India pushed them to the brink of an early exit. However, they managed to put up a pint to their name as their last group game against Bangladesh was washed out and the two shared.

"They didn't put a good team in the tournament... They played very poor cricket. If you talk about any technical matter with Pakistan, they will never accept it and will only criticise; that's why they are moving backwards," Kaneria said.

He continued, "After India’s team lost the BGT in Australia, they went on to win 8 ODIs and then even won the Champions Trophy. On the other hand, Pakistan's team, the way they made it to the Champions Trophy after losing the tri-series, didn’t look like a team that could even make it to the semi-finals of the tournament.

"They didn't put a good team in the tournament... They played very poor cricket. If you talk about any technical matter with Pakistan, they will never accept it and will only criticise; that's why they are moving backwards," Kaneria said.

Article Source: IANS