Inzamam to lead Pakistan in World Cup

KARACHI: Pakistan on Sunday confirmed Inzamam-ul-Haq as their skipper for next March’s World Cup in the West Indies, ending weeks of suspense over the team’s captaincy.
“Inzamam would be our captain for the World Cup because we believe that the team needs continuity,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf said at a press conference here at the National Stadium.
Ashraf said the PCB has decided to retain the same set of officials for the tour of South Africa and the World Cup in a bid to help the team maintain its new-found stability.
Bob Woolmer would continue as Pakistan coach till the World Cup while Talat Ali has been retained as manager both for South Africa and the quadrennial tournament to be played in the Caribbean islands from March 13 to April 28.
There were strong speculations after Ashraf took over from Shaharyar Khan as the PCB chief in October that Pakistan would sack Inzamam and promote his deputy Younis Khan to head their World Cup campaign.
However, Younis blew his chances after failing to lead Pakistan in a successful manner in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy in India this fall. He has been retained as the vice-captain for the tour of South Africa and the World Cup.
Inzamam, who will turn 37 just ten days before the start of the World Cup, is one of the highest run-getter in One-day International (ODI) history with 11591 runs from 370 matches.
Parvaiz Mir, a former international cricketer-turned anchorman, has been appointed as the media manager for the World Cup.
Ashraf paid glowing tributes to Inzamam who led Pakistan to series-winning triumphs in Tests and ODIs against the touring West Indies recently.
“This team really thinks itself as a team now and I must say that the credit goes to Inzamam,” he said adding that “the internal dynamics of the team have improved over the last six weeks.”
Six weeks ago, the national cricket team was in turmoil in the wake of Younis Khan’s refusal to lead Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy and doping bans against the team’s key strike bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif.
“There is a lot of passion in this Pakistan team,” added Ashraf who praised the squad members for giving their best against the West Indies whom Pakistan beat 2-0 in the Tests and 3-1 in the one-day series.
He gave the example of Inzamam, never counted among the best fielders, saying that the way the skipper dived to save a boundary in the final match against the West Indies in Karachi on Saturday was a proof that things are getting better in the Pakistan team.
“It really pleased me how Inzamam, with three stitches on his little finger, dived to get hold of the ball,” he said.
Ashraf said that the way Pakistan are playing these days, they will be in the run for the World Cup. “The team that will show self-belief and self-confidence is going to win the World Cup and I believe this team has displayed these qualities,” he remarked.
Commenting on Mir’s appointment as media manager, he said that it was an important job and the PCB wanted a professional to do it.
“Handling the media in a mega event like the World Cup is a tough job and we believe that Parvaiz Mir with his cricket and media experience is the right man for it,” he expressed.