Karachi, Nov 2 : Pakistan’s former captain and coach Javed Miandad has expressed surprise at the reaction of Chief Selector Salahuddin Ahmed over the criticism levelled at the team’s selection during the South Africa series.

"I am highly disappointed at the way Sallu unsportingly took the healthy criticism on team selection," Miandad told reporters.

"Everywhere in the world, former cricketers and experts carry out post-mortems of a lost series which I did too," he explained.

Miandad recalled that Salahuddin was the most vocal critic of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the selection committee in the past, but he himself failed to absorb routine criticism.

"I feel sorry for him because instead of facing the blame, he was condemning his own team players and own selection. I think he took it too personally and the language he used surprised me."

He expressed surprised how the selectors never realised the affect of frequent changes in the batting order during both the Test and one-day series against the Proteas.

"Being an ex-players I have always been giving my honest opinion on the issue of the game in larger interest of the country. I have always been a well wisher of Pakistan cricket and will remain one for ever."

Earlier, coming down heavily on Miandad for holding the national selectors responsible for the recent defeat at the hands of South Africa, Salahuddin said that it shows a negative mindset.

Salahuddin said that Miandad’s irresponsible comments on a private TV channel were totally uncalled for, and clearly in bad taste considering his stature as a cricketer of high standing.

"Why should the selectors be blamed for the defeats against South Africa?" he asked, adding, "Miandad’s constant tirade against the players, the selectors and the board officials shows a negative mindset."

Miandad had claimed that inconsistent selection policies led to defeats in both the Test and one-day series against the visiting Proteas. But Salahuddin termed the allegations as baseless and far from the reality.

"The selectors invariably picked the best available lot of players. Why this hue and cry if Pakistan lost to the No 2 side in the world?" the Dawn quoted him, as saying.

"Where was he (Miandad) when Pakistan finished runners-up in the World Twenty20 Championship in South Africa or when our team won the one-day series against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi soon after we took over as selectors?" (ANI)