Former Pak cricketers blame poor team spirit for defeat against Sri Lanka

Karachi, July 15 (ANI): Former Pakistan cricketers have blamed poor team spirit for the team's defeat to Sri Lanka in the Colombo Test.

The Pakistan batting order collapsed like a house of cards in the second innings of the second Test match on Tuesday resulting in a seven wicket loss.

Pakistan was 285 for one on day three, but crumpled to 320 all out thanks to some irresponsible shots by middle order batsmen and disciplined bowling by Lankan bowlers.

The defeat helped Sri Lanka gain an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three match series.

Former leg-spinner and chief selector, Abdul Qadir said factionalism and poor team spirit were responsible for the team's meek surrender before an ordinary Sri Lankan bowling line-up.

"When I resigned as chief selector, I am on record as saying that Shoaib Malik should be punished for letting captain Younus Khan down and I maintain that there is factionalism in the team," said Qadir.

He said there is a wide crack between the senior and junior players of the team, and juniors were not co-operating with captain Younis Khan.ormer pacer, Sarfaraz Nawaz also criticised Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq for their unsporting attitude.

"Malik, along with four senior players, is doing politics. Misbah-ul-Haq should be excluded from the team as he has failed and should be replaced by new players," The News quoted Nawaz, as saying.erming Younis Khan as a "failed captain", he said Khan should be sacked.

"Younus doesn't have leadership qualities.If a captain is not able to handle his players' batting failures and comes out with lame excuses of playing less Test cricket, he doesn't have the qualities of a good captain," said Nawaz.

Inzamam-ul-Haq also blamed the captain for the team's poor show.

"The situation in the team is not good. I can smell factionalism within the team and Younus is not doing his best to keep the team united, and that does not augur well for our cricket," said Haq, one of the most successful captains of Pakistan cricket team.

However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt has denied reports about any grouping in the team.

"There cannot be any chance of grouping in the team as I believe the captain has very good relations with senior players like Misbah-ul-Haq," Butt said.

He said the board has no intention to remove the captain, even though the team had to face humiliating defeat in both the matches. (ANI)