Pakistan’s batting coach Mike Smith isn’t aware of the inquiry launched into players by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Previously, the board decided to probe the discipline and conduct of its players following reports of misconduct during the England tour. The investigation started in the wake of reports that the team security officer confiscated the phones of two players, though a source close to the PCB denied the reports.
“I know nothing about that [the inquiry] so I can’t really comment on anything like that,” Smith told reporters after the second day’s play at Edgbaston. “It’s the first time I’ve heard of those things so I’m not too sure.”
The reports also claimed that the players’ activities and communications during their stay in London were also examined after they were alleged to have had contact with certain individuals not authorised by the board.
Smith backs Pakistan despite recent struggles
Pakistan have had a difficult time on their red-ball tour of England, both on the field and off it. Following their 194-run loss against the hosts at Lord’s, their first since 2010 at the venue, the board sent home seven players as well as sacked head coach Sarafraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umer Gul.
Smith was still positive, despite the issues that have tailed his team, that Pakistan’s decline has nothing terminal to it.
“But on the players, for me there’s a lot of quality in Pakistan. We’ve seen it for many years, and lots of countries go through slight changes.”
Throughout the series so far, Pakistan have only crossed 200 once. In the players’ defence, Smith says that this team was a relatively younger and inexperienced side, most of whom were touring the country for the first time. In the ongoing Edgbaston Test, besides Shan Masood, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Abbas, none of the other players had even played a Test game in England before this series. Smith believes it will take the players some getting used to, but more than that, it will take for the board to work on things with an eye on the longer run.
“This is one where we’ve got some younger players with some experienced players, but it’s the learning and how quickly we can get them to learn and get comfortable in the Test environment to really help them from a long-term point of view.”
Smith sees long-term potential in Pakistan
“I suppose we might not see the sort of success we want to see now, but hopefully if a lot of these players are back on our next UK tour, we’ll really see an upward trend. I think that’s the time to really judge them, especially some of the younger players who get their first taste of the English-type conditions.
“It’s tough cricket, but the one thing our boys are really doing is embracing being on tour and actually enjoying themselves on tour as well as a group, as a whole.”
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