Afghanistan player Mohammad Shahzad claims ACB has conspired against him, says he is fit to play
New Delhi, Jun 10: Afghanistan wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Shahzad on Monday alleged that his country's cricket board conspired to throw him out of the World Cup squad even though he was fit enough to carry on in the mega-event.
Shahzad had aggravated the injury on his left knee during the World Cup warm-up clash against Pakistan but returned to play the team's first two games against Australia and Sri Lanka on June 1 and June 4 respectively.
However, the organisers announced ahead of the New Zealand game on June 8 that he was ruled out for the remainder of the World Cup due to a "knee injury".
"I still don't know why I was ruled unfit when I was fit enough to play. Some people in the board (ACB) have conspired against me. Only manager, doctor and the captain knew that I was going to be replaced. Even the coach (Phil Simmons) found out much later. It was heart-breaking," Shahzad, 32, told PTI from Kabul.
"I had finished my training (ahead of the New Zealand game) and only after I checked my phone, I found out that I have been ruled out of the World Cup due to a knee injury. None of the players in the team bus knew about it and just like me, they were in shock (at the news)," said the explosive opener.
Shahzad, one of Afghanistan's impact players alongside Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, failed in the first two World Cup games against Australia and Sri Lanka but so did the majority of the batsmen barring Najibullah Zadran (51 and 43) and Rahmat Shah (43 and 2). Afghanistan ended up losing both the games before going down to New Zealand.
Skipper Gulbadin Naib had called Shahzad's being ruled out a big loss but said the burly batsman was struggling with his knee for the last two-three weeks and they were forced to call in teenager Ikram Ali Khil as his replacement. Khil has played one Test and three ODIs.
When asked to comment on Shahzad's startling claims, ACB CEO Asadullah Khan said the wicket-keeper batsman was unfit indeed and therefore was unable to give his best on the field.
"What he is saying is completely wrong. A proper medical report to the ICC was submitted and then only his replacement was announced. The team could not have fielded an unfit player. I understand he is upset at not being part of World Cup anymore but the team could not have compromised on his fitness," Khan told PTI.
Shahzad, on his part, admitted that his knee was in bad shape after the Pakistan game but he was fine after three days of rest.
"I have had knee issues for a while now but it gets fine with a little bit of icing. I took proper rest after the Pakistan warm-up and was fit to play again and I did come back to play the first two games and was looking forward to the New Zealand game until I received the shocking news from my manager.
"Suddenly I was replaced and I had no inkling of that. This not the way to treat a senior player. Under the current dispensation at ACB, I see more senior players getting a raw deal like I did. I really feel hard done by," added Shahzad.
Shahzad has played a significant role in Afghanistan's rise in world cricket and a was their star player in the triumphant campaign in the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe where they beat the West Indies twice including in the final.
Ahead of the World Cup, Shahzad hit his sixth ODI hundred in a game against Ireland at Belfast on May 21. The 32-year-old has played 84 ODIs, 65 T20 Internationals and two Tests.
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Rain lashes parts of Bengal as severe cyclone 'Dana' moves closer to coast
Kolkata (PTI): Several districts of West Bengal received moderate to heavy rain on Thursday morning, as severe cyclonic storm 'Dana' inched closer to the state’s coast and that of neighbouring Odisha, the IMD said.
The cyclonic storm is likely to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port in Odisha early Friday with wind speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour (kmph), it said.
The weather system lay 280 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha) and 370 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal) at 2.30 am, the IMD said in a bulletin.
The cyclonic storm is set to bring heavy rainfall in several south Bengal districts, including Kolkata.
Advising fishermen not to venture into the sea, the Met Department said gale wind with speeds reaching 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph is prevailing over northwest Bay of Bengal.
It warned that the wind speed over the area is likely to increase gradually to
100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph till Friday morning, and decrease thereafter.
The coastal districts of Bengal are experiencing moderate to heavy rain and gusty winds since the early hours of Thursday, while Kolkata woke up to an overcast sky and intermittent showers.
The bulletin warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy downpour in isolated places in the south Bengal districts of North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly districts on Thursday and Friday.
Public transportation to and from Kolkata's suburbs may get affected from the evening, as Eastern and South Eastern railways cancelled a large number of trains on Thursday and Friday, in view of the cyclone.
More than 170 express and passenger trains running through South Eastern Railway (SER) jurisdiction have been cancelled, an official said.
The trains cancelled were scheduled to depart from their originating stations between October 23 and October 27, he said.
The Kolkata-headquartered SER zone is spread across West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand.
Besides, the Eastern Railway (ER) will not operate any EMU local train from Sealdah station on its south and Hasnabad sections from 8 pm on Thursday till 10 am on Friday, the official said.
The ER also cancelled 68 suburban trains on the Howrah division on Friday morning, he said.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said it is on high alert and has mobilised vessels and aircraft to respond swiftly to any contingency over the Bay of Bengal.
Meanwhile, the NDRF said it has deployed several teams across south Bengal to tackle any emergency situation.
Ferry services in the Sunderbans area spread over North and South 24 Parganas districts and also across river Hooghly in Kolkata and adjoining areas will remain cancelled in view of the impending inclement weather, officials said.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has also opened a control room at its headquarters here, and cancelled the leaves of all essential staff.
