Form separate team for T20, Alam tells PCB

Sydney, Jan. 8 (ANI): In an apparent attack on Twenty20 cricket, Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam has urged top PCB bosses to set up a separate team for T20 matches, as the shortest version of the game is ruining the culture of test cricket in Pakistan.

Alam reckons that players chosen for Tests and ODIs should be kept away from the shortest version of the game.

"I think we will have to that. If you play too much Twenty20 cricket then it becomes almost impossible for you to have the sort of patience and temperament that you need to shine in Test matches," The News quoted Alam, as saying.

"In Twenty20 cricket all you have to do is to hit the ball out of the park. But in test matches, it is all about staying on the wicket. It is hard work and needs a lot of character," he added.

Earlier, Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf had said that Twenty20 matches would finish Pakistan cricket.

Both Alam and Yousuf are under fire for failing to guide Pakistan to what would have been a rare win against Australia in their second Test in Sydney earlier this week.

Alam said Pakistan can't win Tests against top teams like Australia unless they have some world class batsmen.

"You can't go out and beat top teams like Australia when you don't have any world class batsmen in your team. There is Yousuf but he is already 35 and does not have much time left in international cricket. Apart from him, there is nobody who can claim to be a world class batsman," he said.

Alam said that he rates young sensation Umar Akmal highly but the 19-year-old can only transform his talent into international success if he works on his defence.

He added that batsman Misbah-ul-Haq might find it really tough to retain his place in the national team after having scored just 11 runs in his past three innings. (ANI)