Inzamam-ul-Haq slams PCB for sacking Mohammad Hafeez as Team Director, questions why Wahab Riaz was not held accountable?

Inzamam-ul-Haq hugs Mohammad Hafeez (File Photo: Getty Images)
Inzamam-ul-Haq hugs Mohammad Hafeez (File Photo: Getty Images)

Highlights:

Inzamam-ul-Haq wants the PCB to treat players with respect.

Inzamam how he was treated by former PCB chief Zaka Ashraf.

Former Pakistan captain and chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq asked a few tough questions from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for sacking Mohammad Hafeez as Team Director in such a short time while Wahab Riaz retained his position. 

 

Hafeez was removed from the position after Shan Masood-led Pakistan's 0-3 Test defeat in Australia and Shaheen Afridi-led side's 1-4 loss in the T20I series against New Zealand. 

 

"Can someone explain the reasoning behind removing Mohammad Hafeez as team director but retaining Wahab Riaz as chief selector after the Australian and New Zealand tours?" Inzamam said on a TV show.

 

"Weren't both appointed at same time and given same responsibilities so why has only Hafeez been held accountable and not Wahab Riaz?" he asked.

 

Inzamam wants respect for Pakistan players

Inzamam wants PCB to start respecting their players. The board has looked for quick fixes in the past few years and the management has been unstable.

 

"The PCB Chairman no doubt is a highly respectable position but don’t former captains and stalwarts deserve the same amount of respect from the top board officials," said the 54-year-old. 

 

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Inzamam's stunning revelations

Inzamam recalled how he was treated by former PCB chief Zaka Ashraf. He had to step down after allegations of conflict of interest. 

 

"We had a meeting scheduled at the PCB offices after this story about me having a conflict of interest as chief selector broke out.

 

"I was sitting with (PCB officials) Salman Naseer and Aliya Rasheed waiting for the chairman to come," he recalled.

 

"But he went to the academy and from there called Naseer and Aliya to meet him and I was told to wait as he would not be seeing me. Only Aliya returned after a time and told me about the inquiry committee," he added.

 

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He further said that the way Ashraf handled the issue hurt him considering every detail about him was already accessible to the board.

 

“I was hurt by this behaviour from the Chairman. Every detail of agents and their companies who work with players are available with ICC and PCB and it was not such a big deal and I told them I would resign and they can complete their inquiry," he said.

 

He further said that he is still awaiting the findings of the inquiry committee which looked into his conflict of interest case.

 

"Pakistan cricket cannot be run in this manner. It is time the board officials also accepted responsibility for their actions," he added.

 

Inzamam also revealed that he was not in favour of taking over as chief selector as the previous selection committee had already picked the squad for Asia Cup 2023.

 

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