Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan’s veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik has backed the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB’s) decision to not award a central contract to him and 39-year-old Mohammad Hafeez. While speaking to media in Lahore on Wednesday, Malik appreciated the new Pakistan team management for giving opportunity to deserving youngsters in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). “I think it was a good decision by the board to not give Hafeez and me a central contract,” said Malik. “Other players are more deserving besides us and I appreciate this decision to focus on youngsters who can play for a longer time than us. I fully back this decision. My performances in the 2019 World Cup weren’t good but in T20Is, whenever the team was number one, I did perform well. The new management came and tried some new things with new players to try and make a well balanced side, I don’t think they should be criticised for that,” he added.

Malik, who has appeared in 111 T20 internationals, is eager to contribute to the team with his all-round performances. “I want to play as an all-rounder but that depends on the captain and the plan that the team management makes and the match situation,” he said. “I am available as an all-rounder and when I am captaining, I try to bowl because that provides an extra edge that helps the team combination. I am fully fit for bowling, fielding and batting.” The veteran all-rounder also revealed his future plans with regards to retirement from the shortest format of the game.

“There is no significance of captaincy once you are handed over the jersey of Pakistan. The priorities are same and the focus should be to win matches for Pakistan by performing you assigned responsibilities,” he said. “I was saying since quite a while that 2019 World Cup was my last ODI tournament and in T20I, the 2020 T20 World Cup, that is my last T20 tournament and that is still my thought. But I am still enjoying my cricket and I don’t want to make that statement that I will retire after the 2020 T20 World Cup. When I get closer, I will see what happens and make a decision.”

Malik said his previous announcement of quitting international cricket after this Year’s T20 World Cup is not cast in stone and he might continue if his body permits. The veteran, who turns 38 on February 1, retired from Test cricket in 2015 after scoring a double hundred in a home series against England in the UAE and bid adieu to ODIs after the World Cup but is still active in the T20 format. Malik and senior teammate Muhammad Hafeez won surprise recalls to the Pakistan T20 squad for the home series against Bangladesh after being constantly ignored after the World Cup.