Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

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**Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

** Karachi, June 2 : It could be a make or break for former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq next week, when the selectors meet to decide on the list of 30 players to be handed out central contracts for the year 2007-08.

According to The News, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked the national selectors to submit a list of 30 players, out of which around 20 would be awarded new central contracts next month.

Chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed and his two colleagues - Shafqat Rana and Saleem Jaffar – have reportedly been given decision-making powers on determining Inzamam’s future.

Inzamam stepped down as Pakistan captain following the national team’s first round exit from the World Cup in March. One of Pakistan’s most successful batsmen, he has made it clear that he intends to continue playing Test cricket.

He is one of the highest run-getters in ODI cricket having scored 11739 runs from 378 appearances. Inzamam is also the second highest scorer in Test cricket for Pakistan with 8813 runs from 119 Tests. In fact he just needs 20 more runs to overtake former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad as the all-time top scorer for Pakistan in Test cricket.

If the selectors do not include the Multan-born maestro in the 30-man list, then it could be Inzamam’s curtain call. The PCB is already on record as saying that it wants to build the team of the future.

A selector, when contacted, confirmed that the committee has been asked to submit the list. However, he said that the selection committee would take its time before recommending players for central contracts.

Insiders say that top PCB officials and the national selectors are unwilling to select Inzamam in Pakistan’s Test squad but neither of them is ready to bell the cat.

Former Pakistan captain Rameez Raja, however, has been rooting for Inzamam, saying that the national team needs him as a top class middle order batsman.

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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

It would be shame if Inzamam is not selected, Mohammad Yousuf can't find the battle alone, there is no other test material batsman in our team. If they want to repeat the mistakes of post-WC'03 then they should not select Inzamam.

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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

^Pakistan is not new to Shame. The shameless have the potential to go where no shameful has gone before...
Inzi could be axed....

~*~Khuda Ki Zaat~*~
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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

They need to move on and Inzi is past his prime and his inclusion in the squad would result in the resurface of the politics. Move on and forget about him and focus on youth and team spirit.

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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

I dont mind seeing Inzi shown the door but do we have a batsman who can replace him? No. We have no backups. We arent like Australia where they drop a veteran and another player comes in and easily replaces the veteran. Yes we have talented youngsters but you cant just throw them against Australians, Indians and South Africans. I would like to see Inzi play these 3 series and then retire with grace. He is old but still experienced and better than many of these youngsters. I wouldnt be fair with even Shoaib Malik to give him team that cant even compete. Dont you remember the debacle of 2002 a very young Paki side played against aussies and were drubbed 3-0 and who can forget that 59 and 53 all out scores in the same test during that series.

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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

Australia has a smaller population ~20 million] and not the whole country [or a lot of people] aren't crazy about cricket so why can't we [165 million and going up] can't find any talent?

A strict policy of performing, otherwise get lost policy should be applied in cricket and any other sports.

Here comes.... ME!!!
Here comes.... ME!!!
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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

Inzi should be selected for the test matches, but I guess he will be a target; tit for tat.

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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

I think Inzi still has a couple of years left in him but the decision to include him should be taken also by consulting him first. If he seriously wants to play test cricket and help out while we have an understudy then I think it's all good but if he is playing just to break Miandad's record for the most test runs for Pakistan then it's just plain old wrong. As big a player as he's been maybe he can be given 1 test to get the record if he is so desperate for it but if he really wants to play for a couple of years I think it would give us enough time to groom someone for his spot. Maybe Hasan Raza or Faisal Iqbal can take the place or perhaps Asim Kamal can be given another chance.

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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

Inzamam has never played for stats or records.

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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

if inzi will not be selected then we will see pakistan getting out below 100 in upcoming Southafrica series again and again

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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

I don't mind if he is given some chances to get his record, However the main thing is that PCB (thinktank and selectors) and Inzi are on the same page or not. Plus I would like to see mirror image of what CA did with Mcgrath; offered him a post at ACA straight away.

How many great players of Pakistan will be shed like flies? why not make use of him.

As for finding a replacement, those are big boots to fill in, Yousef was in supreme touch last year but I am sure with the swing of season he will feel the pressure and void of Inzi. if Inzi is not part of the test team. Keep your differences aside and let Inzi and play atleast for a year and find a replacement straight away and make him tag along with the team and let him learn. Hasan Raza well what if he fails in one off test will he be discarded yet again. Faisal Iqbal, yes he is talented but he is not consistent therefore he should play some domestic cricket or for the A team and be more consistent. Signs are very clear from selectors for Asim Kamal he will not be considered at all IMO.

if we really want to put someone in his place, let Fawwad Alam be part of the permanent team (Test and ODI).

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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

If Inzi thinks he can still produce, then he should be given a chance. No questions asked. Pakistan is not in a luxurious position of say Australia that it can retire legendary batsmen ahead of their expiration date.

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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

He should be selected but I am skeptical if he will be. Our selectors have never treated legends the way they should have. Last worldcup it was turn of two ws and several others. This time its inzimam. He still has a role to play for Pakistan team in test arena in important upcoming series.

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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

^ Its sad but you are quite right.

♥ Congratz Aleesha ♥
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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

I believe Inzi should be selected because he takes his place in the test team on merit. Not merely because he is a legend and "deserves" a respected farewell opportunity. 20 runs or 200 runs. I'd hate to see a team waste a precious space in an 11-player team just to satisfy one person's wish to break an individual record. But, if that person is capable of producing and has a proven track-record, he should be played.

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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

Inzi does deserve respect after all the contributions to the Pakistani team & a good respectable farewell from cricket. IMHO He should play the whole series and make the last test his farewell test. But in light of the recent allegations against him and his attitude thats not going to happen. Its over for him pretty much.
Remember, him and the selectors together are the reason that there was no rotation policy in the Pakistani team and hence no real player with experience to fill in his huge shoes.

Asim Kamal will be an awesome fit in that middle of the lineup at No.6 but I don't know if the selectors will select him. He definitely has the maturity and temperament to play in that test side and succeed. He has shown that in the past, that cannot be said of Faisal Iqbal who has been grossly inconsistent.

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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

It's a shame things have come to this. Inzi is still at least twice as good as ANY other current batsmen in Pakistan (exept Yousaf and Younis... compared to them Inzi is maybe only one and a half times as good). It would be idiotic of the selectors to drop him. This is the same Inzi who until a year and a half ago was hitting centuries upon centuries, and last year in England, at the start of the Test series, the English were wondering how to dismiss him!

And who's this Saleem Jaffar anyway? Is the the same guy who lost us the 1987 semi final by getting hit for 18 runs in the final over?

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Re: Make or break Test selection for Inzamam

Find one batsmen who can play TEST cricket like bholey badshah in Pakistan, then happily force him into retirement.

♥ Congratz Aleesha ♥