Pakistan Cricket Board's 'favouritism', a reason behind my snub: Fawad Alam

Karachi: Out-of-favour Pakistani all-rounder Fawad Alam has said that one of the main reasons behind his continuous snub from the national team is "favouritism" within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The 31-year-old, who made his debut in international cricket in 2007, has played just three Tests, 35 ODIs and 24 T20Is.

Fawad, who has the highest batting average in Pakistan's first-class history (55.40), believes everyone is picked on the basis of their performance in the domestic circuit while he is ignored time and again.

"There are a lot of reasons. I cannot enlist them on screen but favouritism is there," the Express Tribune quoted Fawad as saying.

"People think it is a rumour but it is a reality. Newcomers are inducted into the national team and are said to be the performers in the domestic circuit, but then where is Fawad Alam scoring all those runs? Is he performing in Bangladesh's domestic cricket? He is not selected on his domestic performance while everyone else is picked based on the same criteria,' he added.

The left-handed batsman, who last played international cricket in 2015 against Bangladesh, further said sometimes he feels that he is not destined to play for Pakistan.

"I don't understand this (why I am not being picked). However, I, at times, think that I am not destined to play for Pakistan," he said.

"But I am fighting and trying my best to do whatever I can, and I believe good things come to those who wait," he added.

Pointing out that he is not the only cricketer to face such things, Fawad said he has made a commitment to himself not to give up.

"I'm not the only one who has faced all this. This gives me hope and I have made a commitment to myself to not give up. When you are playing a lot of people will try to bring you down and only a few will help you lift yourself up. So I try to stay with people who encourage me," Fawad said.

He has often been criticised for his inability to clear the boundary and has been given many a times this as a reason for him not making a comeback.

However, the left-handed batsman believes this line of reasoning to be absurd.

"I can't say anything about that, it's their opinion," he said.

"But I think runs are not scored only with sixes and fours, they are scored mainly with singles and doubles. You need to know how to improvise," he added.

He further said that he knows his ability and always backs them.

"I don't need to tell anyone anything. I know my ability. You cannot stop people from speaking about you. People bring up excuses to not include me. They need to say something," he maintained.