Various Pakistani players have termed former captain Inzamam-ul Haq as an autocrat, a member of the Performance Evaluation Committee (PEC) that probed Pakistan’s failure at the cricket World Cup said.
The three-member committee, comprising former test cricketers Ijaz Butt, Salahuddin Ahmed and Salim Altaf, was constituted soon after Pakistan’s first round exit from the tournament in the West Indies.
The committee in its findings submitted to the board said, ” Inzi failed to lead from the front.”
The players gave their feedback to the PEC saying that the ex-captain was very strict like an autocrat with them. The cricketers’ statements had been recorded on audiocassettes.
However refuting the reports that PEC was biased against Inzamam, Salahuddin said:
We did our efforts honestly and I think that is why the report of the committee has been appreciated by the public. Inzamam had become an introvert and autocratic captain, particularly after The Oval fiasco when his refusal to go to the field was overlooked by the then PCB chief Shaharyar M Khan.
The committee also criticized the selection of the team by the captain. It said Inzamam made poor use even of the remaining players and further reported:
He dropped Mohammad Sami from the crucial match against the West Indies and then changed Danish Kaneria when the bowler had stumped out (Dinesh) Ramdin in the 44th over giving away just two runs,” it said. “The omission of Danish Kaneria in the crucial game against Ireland was a tactical mistake.
The committee also reports that there were serious doubts about Inzamam’s fitness to play one-day cricket over the year.
And about Inzamam’s future in Test cricket, the committee said the best decision in the interest of Pakistan would be taken.
Salahuddin said:
To me, Pakistan comes first and not an individual. However, Inzamam will be given a fair chance to prove his match fitness and form to claim a place in the Test side,
Inzamam quit as captain as soon as the team returned after the world cup fiasco. For now, Shoaib Malik has been made the new captain of the Pakistan side while Ahmed was made new chairman of the selectors.
Via: DNA India
