'Pakistan players deliberately underperformed during 2009 New Zealand ODIs'

Former Pakistan pacer Rana Navedul Hasan has accused some of the players for deliberately underperformed during his team’s 2009 One-day International (ODI) series against New Zealand, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

While speaking on a local news channel, Naved said that these players, who did not perform to the best of their ability, were not comfortable playing under the captaincy of Younis Khan.  

"We lost two ODI matches against New Zealand in UAE during 2009 because some of the players involved deliberately did not play well, and I sat out that tour," said Naved. "I did not play because I had told Younis Khan that this was the conspiracy against you and that I am also a part of that plot."

"This was not a rebellion against Younis Khan. He was a good cricketer and I did play alongside him so there were no issues except that when he became captain, he became a different person," he added. "Some seniors, and I won’t name names as they may have had aspirations of being captains themselves, got us involved in this whole affair as well to further their aims. We were about seven to eight people involved in this."

Pakistan lost the three-match ODI series, 2-1, despite winning the first match in convincing fashion by 138 runs. The Men in Green lost the remaining two matches of the series by 64 and seven runs, respectively.

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The former right-arm quick also said that the players, who were against Younis, included some of the biggest names of Pakistan cricket.  

"We were all called into a room and an oath of allegiance taken and the people in that room were some big names of Pakistan cricket. If I mention those names, then they will get angry with me," he said. "They said we don’t want him to be removed but we would like the PCB Chairman to reason with Younis Khan as he does not take advice of seniors as captain and does what he feel likes doing.”

"I went along with this thinking that if this is the only matter and the PCB Chairman tells him that, then I don’t have an issue with this," he concluded.

Naved played nine Tests and picked just 18 wickets at an average of 58.00. He claimed 110 wickets in 74 ODIs at an average of 29.28 and an economy rate of 5.57. He bagged five wickets in four T20I matches as well.