Bari aims parting shot at Inzamam by AFP

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Player:	Inzamam-ul-Haq
Event:	ICC World Cup 2006/07

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DateLine: 20th March 2007

 

Wasim Bari, who stood down as Pakistan chief selectors on Tuesday, has criticised captain Inzamam-ul-Haq for not leading the side from the front and making wrong selections which led to failure at the World Cup.

 

"Inzamam led without commitment and the team looked like an army without a general," Bari, who resigned over the team's first round exit from the World Cup, told AFP.

 

Pakistan were dumped out of the World Cup on Saturday after losing their Group D match to minnows Ireland -- their worst ever World Cup exit which prompted Inzamam to announce his retirement from one-day cricket and quit the captaincy after the final match against Zimbabwe on Wednesday.

 

In a further twist, Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer died from a suspected heart attack after the loss to Ireland.

 

Bari, a former Pakistan captain, said he never normally criticised individuals but Inzamam's recent statements had forced him to go public.

 

"The commitment comes from the top and it doesn't come from anywhere else and he could have had a better farewell.

 

"I read that the team management including the now-deceased coach Woolmer said they did not want certain players in the World Cup team. This is baseless. I went to South Africa to get their nod on team selection."

 

Bari said his selection committee always tried to accommodate the captain and the coach.

 

"We thought it was the captain who has to lead the team onto the ground and that's why we always took their words and never forced any selection. I never went public but there were times I could have.

 

"I tried to convince both the captain and the coach to have a left-right opening combination but they did not budge and there was no left-hander in the 15-man Cup squad," said Bari, who also tendered his resignation after Pakistan's first round exit in the 2003 World Cup.

 

Bari refused to comment on Inzamam's decision to quit limited overs cricket.

 

"It is his personal decision and I am not going to comment. He decided what he felt better for himself but he was a good player and could have led the team in a better way."

 

Bari agreed that Pakistan cricket was at a crossroads after the Cup debacle.

 

"We need to run our cricket with a broad vision, like they do in Australia and South Africa and not in the manner we do. We need consistent policies and run the board like a commercial company.

 

"We do have a lot of talent but in order to tap that we need to run the things on professional basis, otherwise I see a bleak future for our cricket. We need to save Pakistan cricket."

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)