Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has pointed fingers at the former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, Zaka Ashraf, for Pakistan's disappointing performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup held in India. Ashraf, who resigned from his role as the Chairperson of the PCB Management Committee on January 19, had been in office since July of the previous year.
Inzamam expressed his views during an interview with a Pakistani news channel, as reported by PTI. He emphasised that Ashraf’s public statement about the World Cup team being selected by the captain and chief selector, rather than the board, likely impacted the players' mindset. Pakistan's cricket team, under such circumstances, ended up ranking fifth on the ODI World Cup points table, missing the opportunity to advance to the knockout stages.
"'Can you imagine the mindset of the players when during an important event like the World Cup in India they hear that the PCB Chairman is saying the team selected was not done by the board but by the captain and chief selector only," said Inzamam.
Inzamam also highlighted that he is still awaiting the results of an inquiry committee report regarding his alleged conflict of interest during his tenure as Pakistan's chief selector. He had stepped down from the position midway through the World Cup amidst these allegations.
"Just think what must be going through the players mind when they hear that an inquiry committee has been formed against the chief selector and he has resigned. Where does this happen? I am still waiting for that report of the inquiry committee against me which was formed to probe whether I had committed a conflict of interest while being the chief selector," Inzamam added.
The former skipper stressed the need for confidence within the team during the ODI World Cup, something he believes the players lacked. Despite the setbacks, Inzamam maintained that the Pakistani team itself does not have inherent issues. Following the team's underwhelming World Cup performance, captain Babar Azam relinquished his captaincy across all formats.
"These changes affected the performance of the team and just imagine when they can put pressure on a world class performer like Babar Azam what would the other players be thinking. The team was struggling in the World Cup and they needed to be given full confidence but this didn't happen. There is no problem with the team, they just need confidence and backing," said Inzamam.
Inzamam's comments shed light on the internal dynamics and challenges faced by the Pakistani cricket team during the World Cup, suggesting that administrative decisions and statements had a tangible impact on the team's performance.
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