Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik being ignored for the New Zealand tour could be a result of the team's unlikely loss in the Super Sixes Tournament final in Hong Kong under his captaincy last month.
Sources said Malik, who was ignored by the selectors on Tuesday for the New Zealand tour despite his terrific form in domestic cricket, may have been sidelined because of the Hong Kong tournament.
"Malik was captain and in the final opponents Australia required 48 runs in the final over to win the match. Imran Nazir a part time bowler was given the ball and incredibly even in the super sixes format he conceded 48 runs, bowling number of wides and no-balls in the decisive over," one source said.
He said the final over had raised eyebrows in the Pakistan Cricket Board and given Malik's disciplinary record as well the selectors decided to play it safe.
"If a player has scored three big hundreds in succession in domestic cricket he is always a serious contender but in Malik's case his ouster may also be linked to non-cricketing reasons," the source said.
Malik himself told the media that he was extremely disappointed at not making the team.
"What more do I have to do to prove myself. I have scored nearly 580 runs in five innings with three centuries and I have taken 14 wickets for PIA in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and if this not enough to win me a place back in the team I don't know what is," Malik said.
"If the selectors are not considering me when I am in prime form then I think I am within my right to at least ask them to tell me on what grounds I have not been picked in the touring squad," Malik said.
