NEW DELHI: Because of the team’s recent poor performance, Mohammad Hafeez was removed from his position as Team Director by the Pakistan Cricket Board. Inzamam-ul-Haq, a former captain of the team, has criticized the board, saying it is unfair to “target” former players for administrative positions when they refuse to take accountability for the team’s performance.
Following a 1-4 T20 International series loss to New Zealand and a 0-3 Test series loss in Australia, the PCB had severed ways with Hafeez last month.
After the T20 series in New Zealand, Hafeez’s initial short-term contract came to an end, as the Sports Ministry recommended against signing a long-term deal.
“Can someone explain the reasoning behind removing Muhammad 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.
The former cricket great, who resigned as chief selector in acrimonious circumstances during last year’s World Cup, also urged the PCB to start respecting players.
“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 Inzamam.
Inzamam alleged that during his dispute with the Board over conflict of interest allegations, he was shown no respect by former PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf.
“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.
Inzamam said the Ashraf’s attitude was hurtful.
“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,” Inzamam stated.
The former skipper said he was still waiting for the PCB to release findings of the inquiry committee which probed 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 asserted.
Inzamam also said he never wanted to take over as chief selector before the Asia Cup last year as the previous selection committee had already picked the squad.
(With PTI inputs)
Following a 1-4 T20 International series loss to New Zealand and a 0-3 Test series loss in Australia, the PCB had severed ways with Hafeez last month.
After the T20 series in New Zealand, Hafeez’s initial short-term contract came to an end, as the Sports Ministry recommended against signing a long-term deal.
“Can someone explain the reasoning behind removing Muhammad 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.
The former cricket great, who resigned as chief selector in acrimonious circumstances during last year’s World Cup, also urged the PCB to start respecting players.
“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 Inzamam.
Inzamam alleged that during his dispute with the Board over conflict of interest allegations, he was shown no respect by former PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf.
“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.
Inzamam said the Ashraf’s attitude was hurtful.
“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,” Inzamam stated.
The former skipper said he was still waiting for the PCB to release findings of the inquiry committee which probed 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 asserted.
Inzamam also said he never wanted to take over as chief selector before the Asia Cup last year as the previous selection committee had already picked the squad.
(With PTI inputs)
