PCB/Pakistan cricket team. (File) The Pakistan cricket team’s below-par performance in the ongoing World Cup saw them lose four straight games at the World Cup for the first time. This was after South Africa, Afghanistan, Australia, and India beat them.
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Despite beating Bangladesh on Tuesday to get their campaign back on track, the country’s cricket board faced a scathing observation by former International Cricket Council (ICC) President Zaheer Abbas who slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and said that the cricket team’s shoddy performance is because people at the helm do not understand the sport.
“The game will continue to suffer if favourites are appointed,” Abbas was quoted as saying on Geo News.
“For God’s sake, give cricket to sportsmen,” he added.
Meanwhile, to add to the turmoil, former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq resigned as chief selector on Monday over allegations of a conflict of interest.
Reports emerged in local media that Inzamam had stakes in a company registered in England. One of the other directors of this U.K.-based company is from an agency that represents leading Pakistan cricketers such as captain Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan.
“I am stepping down from the post (of chief selector) to offer the PCB an opportunity to conduct a transparent inquiry,” Inzamam said in a statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board.
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“If the committee finds me not guilty, I will resume my role as the chief selector.”
However, Abbas did not support Inzamam’s decision to step down and said, “There is no example in the world where someone resigns while the team is gone to play the World Cup.”
Pakistan’s third win in seven games lifted it to number five in the points table. However, Pakistan not only needs to win the remaining two league games against New Zealand and England, but its hopes of finishing in the top four still depends on favorable results in other games.
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