'Only selection committee can answer’: Fawad Alam as clueless as everyone else over non-selection

The mystery of Fawad Alam only gets harder to crack with each upcoming tour. The 32-year old’s exclusion from the Pakistan Test squad for the England and Ireland tour was just another baffling decision by the selectors that left everyone searching for answers.

But there are no answers.

“I don’t know why I was not selected,” Fawad, whose first-class average of more than 55 can put many to shame, said in a video interview shared by ESPNcricinfo.

Looking as clueless as everyone else, the disappointed cricketer shared his thoughts on being snubbed (for the umpteenth time?) by the selectors.

“As far as the selection is concerned, only the selection committee can answer [your question]. I am trying my best to ensure that [I continue to perform at every opportunity I get].

According to Fawad, it is his responsibility, as a player, to continue performing at the domestic level.

“This [exclusion from the squad] has been happening and it is the responsibility of the player to keep on performing at the domestic level and one day you will reap the benefits,” he added.

Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq on Sunday announced a 16-member squad for the tour to Ireland and England next month. The squad includes five uncapped players: batsmen Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Usman Salahuddin, Saad Ali and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf.

Fawad Alam, who left behind many of his younger peers in the fitness test scores prior to the squad announcement, was once again inexplicably ignored, triggering a national outrage as fans demanded answers.

Also read: Wasim Akram questions Fawad Alam's exclusion from Pakistan squad

To put things in perspective:

Fawad Alam has scored 10,742 runs in 145 first-class matches at an average of 55.37. In the only 3 Tests he has played, he scored 250 runs at an average of 41.66 with one century.

Imam-ul-Haq has scored 1,792 runs in 34 first-class matches at an average of 34.46.

Usman Salahuddin has 6,329 runs from 99 first-class matches at an average of 46.53.

Saad Ali has 3,473 runs from 50 first-class matches at an average of 46.93.