Inzamam Concerned over his Own Performance
Pakistan Times Sports Desk

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Captain, Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq on Friday said he was deeply concerned being in a bad patch in the recently concluded tour of South Africa.

“It is not a satisfactory performance at all, it is below par rather alarming and I am very concerned about it”, he told reporters on his arrival from South Africa where he scored 74 runs in five one-day international matches.

“For me and for the team it was not a successful tour specially at a time when World Cup is fasting approaching and we have to lift the level of our game when we play in the Cup”, he asserted.

He said the immediate task ahead of him is to better his own performance to be in a role model for the team in the Cup and as a captain and as a player he was under greater responsibility.

He vowed to return to the form before the Cup which begins in West Indies from March 13 saying he wants to play his due role to inspire the team.

Inzamam said injuries to star players was the main reason for the failure of the of the team both in the test and one day games.

“Defeat does not mean that it is end of cricket for us, we can start a fresh and we have to start afresh to keep our hopes alive in the Cup”, he said.

The home captain said with best players available for the Cup the team will be an ideal composition to beat any top team of the world in the cup.

“I know the performance of the team in our recent tour has disappointed every one, and I am also disappointed with the results produced but we are fully committed to overcoming our gray areas to put up a better show in the Cup “,he maintained.

Inzamam expressed his satisfaction over the selection of the team for the Cup and said best available talent was picked and hoped that those injured players who are a part of the squad would be fully fit before the grand event.

“We want experience in our ranks and it would be better if the injured players become fit as soon as possible to strengthen the team “,he added.

Answering a question he said the decision to including leg-spinner Danish Kaneria was taken considering the possible pitches in the West Indies during the World Cup.

“We does not have a suitable opening pair which is worry for us but I am confident that Imran Nazir and Muhammad Hafeez selected in the squad as opener will try to boost this department”, he said.

He expressed the hope that all the players would clear the dope test and there would be drug related crisis involving the Pakistani players.

Answering a question he said last year he did not give the urine sample on the occasion of the ICC Champions Trophy, but now he would also go through the process to be cleared, before the start of the mega event.

Teams assistant coach Mushtaq Ahmad said that the performance of fast bowlers was affected due to absence of bowling coach Waqar Younis who resigned before the start of the tour after developing differences with the PCB.

He defended the performance in the test matches and said it was not that bad but in the one day matches including the last two was poor.●