The ongoing spat over the Pakistan captaincy between Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Malik reached a new low today when it is understood Yousuf taunted Malik with comments more reminiscent of a primary school playground.
The disagreement started over a week ago when Yousuf suggested one player was responsible for causing disharmony on the recent disastrous tour to Australia. He didn't name the player, but strongly hinted it was Malik. Since then Malik and Yousuf have traded blows in the press.
Malik's latest outburst was intended to rebuff Yousuf's comments "Yousuf's made some serious allegations against me and this time I am going to expose him publicly," he said. "I've always been a team man and have done nothing to spoil the atmosphere" he went on.
Yousuf retorted that the Pakistan Cricket Board had "made a big mistake" in appointing Shoaib as captain for the forthcoming T20 matches against England, adding that "It was during his captaincy that the culture of groups within a team took root and respect for senior players fell."
It's all rather sad and indicative of the fact that the Pakistan cricket team is rapidly becoming a modern day version of the Keystone Cops, albeit without the humour. To be frank it is farcical.
The behaviour of both Malik and Yousuf is so childish that one is intended to believe that Yousuf has really resorted to the "my Dad is bigger than your Dad" outburst.
The only way to settle this is with a bout of good old fisticuffs, which would befit's the playground behaviour of the two protagonists.
I can just see it now, Yousuf calling Malik a big girl's blouse whilst Malik tries to pull Yousuf's beard.
Even Shahid Afridi's captaincy credentials are starting to look good now.
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