Giving major twist to the normal looking saga of through which Afghanistan Cricket team wicketkeeper Mohammad Shazad was ruled out of the ICC Cricket World Cup-2019, the cricketer has now said that he was thrown out by board through conspiracy.
Mohammad Shahzad the bulky opening batsman of the Afghanistan was ruled out of the World Cup due to injury after playing only two matches. Ahead of the New Zealand game on June 8 it was announced that cricketer will not be part of remainder of the World Cup due to a “knee injury”.
Now as the cricketer is back home , he was quoted by news agency PTI alleging that he was thrown by board through a well made conspiracy.
“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 was quoted by PTI in 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),” he told PTI further.
Shahzad 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.