Inzamam-Ul-Haq slams Pakistan Cricket Board for indecision on World Cup captain
Former Pakistan captain and legendary batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Inzamam-ul-Haq-c64383 has lambasted the Pakistan Cricket Board for not naming the national captain for the World Cup tournament despite naming a 15-member squad for the all
important ODI event set to start in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 next month.
Regarded as one of the finest batsman of the modern era, Inzamam led Pakistan in the last World Cup held in the Caribbean four years ago. The tournament ended in a disaster for the men in green who were sent packing
after consecutive defeats to the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 coach Bob Woolmer the very next day.
The Pakistan team then trounced Zimbabwe in their last group match, and a weeping Inzamam bid farewell to the ODI game in the same match. He fears that the current team might be on the path of disaster once more
if they do not get rid of the uncertainty that surrounds the team following the perplexing decision (or lack thereof) by the PCB.
Inzamam said that the uncertainty was hurting Pakistan's preparations. "With only three weeks left to the World Cup, Pakistan have no captain and the blame goes to the PCB for creating an impasse which has divided
the team into two groups, supporting Afridi and Misbah," Inzamam said. "In this scenario one cannot have high expectations for the team."
"The PCB has failed to control the situation and if Pakistan fares badly in the World Cup, people will accuse the players and not the board”, added a disgruntled Inzamam, who is yet to be utilized by the present
regime of the PCB in any capacity.
The selection of the Pakistan's 15-man squad without consulting coach Waqar Younis or the captain also came in for criticism from Inzamam. "When a team is without a captain how can a proper strategy be made? The
team is playing a one-day series in New Zealand but they do not know who will be their captain in the World Cup which is very damaging."
Meanwhile, despite Inzamam’s claims and Pakistan’s shoddy display in the opening match of the ODI series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754, many cricketing pundits believe that the easy format of this year’s World Cup means
that the 1992 champions are virtually assured of a place in the knock-out stage even before the start of the tournament.
Pakistan has the likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 and New Zealand.
They are likely to beat the three minnows, which would guarantee them a spot in the quarter-finals even if they fail to beat any of the three major teams in their group.
Knowing the unpredictability of the Pakistan team and the format, one good day in the quarterfinal stage can see them through to the semi-finals and anything beyond that would be an absolute bonus for the cricket-crazy
fans of the country.
Reaching the semi-finals alone would be hailed as a major achievement, given the tumultuous time last year which saw a plethora of controversies derail the team besides rocking the very foundations of the game
in the country – and the world.
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