Inzamam flanked by Shaharyar Khan (L) and Zaheer Abbas
Sacked team manager Zaheer Abbas claims regular captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has lost the confidence of officials in Pakistan cricket following the Oval debacle.
Abbas told BBC Radio Five Live that the refusal to play on the fourth day of the Test was Inzamam’s own choice.
He said: "Pakistan’s management is not happy with Inzamam at the moment.
“I requested him to go into the field at The Oval, chairman Shaharyar Khan requested also, and a few members of the cricket team, but he refused.”
Khan resigned from his post on Friday night, and the following day Younis Khan was named Pakistan’s captain for the ICC Champions Trophy with Inzamam serving a four-match ban.
The International Cricket Council had served the suspension on him for bringing the game into disrepute at The Oval after the on-field umpires had alleged the ball had been tampered with.
But only last Thursday, Younis had said he refused to be a “dummy” captain, and for two days the captincy passed to Mohamad Yousuf.
Abbas said Younis’ had had a difficult relationship with Khan since the England tour.
"Once when Mr Khan was in his room, Younis wanted to meet him. He had to wait 15 minutes to go and talk to him.
Inzamam said to me ‘I don’t want to go in the field; if the boys want to go in the field then they can’
Zaheer Abbas
"A few other things cropped up and all of a sudden he said: ‘I don’t want to become a puppet captain of the Pakistan team’ - and that’s why he resigned.
"The ICC Champions Trophy was upon us, an important tour, and he wanted to set out the problems he was facing at that time.
“He felt that the chairman was not giving him enough time so decided to resign.”
On the separate issue of Inzamam’s actions at The Oval on 20 August, Abbas said: "After having protested we should have gone into the field and started playing.
"But Inzamam said to me ‘I don’t want to go in the field; if the boys want to go in the field then they can’.
“We know the captain didn’t listen to us at that point in time. Loads of people were there waiting for us to go and show our ability to them and see us playing.”
Asked if it was likely that Inzamam may be asked to step down as captain when he returns from his ban, Abbas replied: “It looks like it but I’m not sure.”
Former star batsman Abbas was sacked on 13 September by the Pakistan Cricket Board after just six months in the role.
The PCB initially said it was “resting him” but has made no indication that he will be given the job back.
If it was Inzi's own choice to not to take field at oval I :Salute: him. I was thinking that officials made him stay off the field. His deed did good baqi saley sare officials dont care even if Pakistan gets a blame of cheating. Had Pakistan not done this tu baad main kuch bhee na hota. I am telling you. Hearing hee nahi hotee koi ager hotee bhee tu nominal.
Yet another official who says things AFTER he's got nothing to do with the team. Zaheer himself was too busy on the damn telephone rather than trying to sort out the matter.
BTW, according to Jang newspaper, PCB is already making plans to sack Inzimam from captaincy permenantely, despite of Ashraf’s statement for WI tour. I think they want everyone to calm down now and get used to of playing under YK, which is for sure a better leader (but not politically correct and popular in team) than Inzi.
I think if we did good in ICCCT, chances are that YK will be kept as skipper for good. We have 5 months for WC and thats enough to settle things down.
I think that’s pure speculation. I expect Inzi to return as skipper after CT and lead Pakistan till WC. Younis is a better leader for sure but I can’t see Inzi playing as a player under Younis Khan atleast till WC.
I feel sorry for Mohammad Yousuf. Just put yourself in his shoes and feel for him. How would you feel if you were MOYO? This is terrible administration.
Why are you feeling sorry for MOYO? because he is not the captain? then you must feel sorry for dozen of cricketers around the world, including Tendulkar, Lara/now Chandarpaul, Shawn Pollock, Gibbs, McGrath, Shane Warne, Atapatu, Jaysuria, and list goes on and on.
I think we should salute MOYO, who is welling to play any role that his team and nation wants from him. I think if PCB give strong indications for keeping YK as a long term captain, it will increase the likelyhood of every individual in the squad to put maximum efforts, e.g. Afridi already saying he is willing to play at any position that his team demand from him. This is happening only because he is reading the lines on wall very clearly.
If PCB let every one knew that YK is only for ICC trophy and then he will only be skipper once Inzi is gone, then I am sure most of the senoir players will try to show their loyalities to Inzi and will try to fail YK, since most of the senoir players knew that they may not be around for next WC. It is also important to allow YK to lead the team while Inzi is around, since in this way he can consult Inzi on the field, whenever he needs guidance, and this will give him enough time to further groom while Inzi is there. Therefore, it is important to retain YK as skipper after ICC trophy, and allow Inzi to play his important role of an experienced batsman in the team.
We should think strategically rather than getting emotional. I am sure every cricket fan has a great respect for Inzi. Many greats players played under other skippers, and Inzi could do to.
This should put an end to all speculation about Inzi’s position after CT.
Inzamam to lead team against WI: PCB chief http://www.worldservicesint.com/newfp/News.aspx?ncat=sn&nid=1
LAHORE (APP): Inzamam ul Haq will lead Pakistan team in the home series against West Indies while Younis Khan will be his deputy, said Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board, Dr Naseem Ashraf here on Monday. Highlighting the decisions taken by the adhoc committee meeting held here, he told the newsmen at a press conference that the decision regarding the leadership of the team has been taken as a part of maintaining continuity and to improve the performance of the team. With this announcement he dispelled an impression that Younis may continue as captain after the tour of India where the team is taking part in Champions Trophy. Accompanied by members of the adhoc committee including Ali Raza, Mueen Afzal,Imtiaz Ahmad and Salim Altaf ,he said, it has been decided that the paid selection committee will be installed after World Cup as at this stage it is not wise to bring changes in the selection committee as any such move can hamper team’s performance. “The present selection committee is working for quite a long time and they (selectors) know about players in depth and we will be appointing a paid selection committee after the Cup”,he added. He said the meeting discussed in length the working of the cricket board, both in cricket related affairs and in its organisational matters, and soon a plan will be announced to introduce a culture of shared responsibilities to have good governance in the entire setup of the PCB. He said the draft of the PCB’s new constitution will be finalised soon and it would be sent to the Patron by November first for consideration and approval. “We will be introducing a new post of Chief Operating Officer in the PCB for which candidates would be short listed by a human resource firm”, he said. PCB Chief said adhoc body member Ali Raza will head a committee which will supervise the whole process of audit of the PCB to be carried out by a third reputed firm ,other than the one which is already doing the task in the previous years. Announcing another important decision,he said, an advisory committee would be set up soon to deal with the cricket and other affairs of the PCB and representation would be given to those individuals who can serve the cause of cricket and PCB. “We will be implementing short,medium and long term plan to carry out the re-structuring of the PCB and to introduce corporate culture to make it a result oriented institution and to deal with cricket related affairs in a professional manners “,he said. He said the corporate culture would also help in having check and balance in the PCB. Answering a question,he said, associations would be given a due role in the development of the cricket in the new constitution of the Board. He said PCB Director Media and Cricket Operations, Abbas Zaidi has resigned. ‘ We are expecting more changes and at this stage it is difficult to say how many people would be leaving PCB ‘,he said while answering a question. He said the functioning of the national cricket academy was reviewed and the board instructed Mudassar Nazar the director NCA to present a comprehensive plan based on outcomes both for the national team as well as under-19 youngsters.
in either case.