Manager Intikhab Alam slams Shahid Afridi in leaked report

Team manager Intikhab Alam and Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi

Karachi: Team manager Intikhab Alam has blamed captain Shahid Afridi for the Pakistan cricket team's recent poor performances, including at the World Twenty20 in India.

Team manager Intikhab Alam and Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi

The report states that Afridi was involved in "needless controversies" during the World T20. In the five-page report submitted to the PCB and fact-finding committee of the PCB, Alam said that the team failed to sustain the stress and the pressure associated with the world event.

"The recent Asia Cup and the ICC World T20 have made it evident that we have critical gaps both in batting and bowling and our fielding keeps on leaking runs, thus releasing pressure. In bowling, except Muhammad Amir, we do not have a bowler who can win us matches. Our death bowling also is way below par. And the same goes with our batting line-up, where we do not have reliable pinch hitters at the top and power hitter to clinch us games," Alam wrote in his report, leaked to media. Alam, also said that Afridi didn't help matters by giving needless statements.

"The tournament was being held in India, where the team was under multiple scanners at the same time, pushing the stress and anxiety levels very high. Much to our chagrin (added to the above reasons), was a captain in his farewell event after a career spanning nearly 20 years, yet absolutely clueless in terms of on-field tactics and off-field leadership. We were set back by needless controversies. First from Afridi's ‘more-loved-in-India-than-in-Pakistan' statement in his mandatory on-arrival press conference (had he stuck to the detailed briefing given to him by the Media Manager and myself, this would not have occurred)."