Pakistan Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq Resigns Amid Ongoing World Cup Woes

• Image Credit: Google

• Oct 30, 2023 | Dhupali Das

Former Pakistan cricketer Inzamam-ul-Haq has stepped down from his position as the chief selector of the...

Digital Desk: Former Pakistan cricketer Inzamam-ul-Haq has stepped down from his position as the chief selector of the men's national cricket team. This decision comes on the heels of a series of disappointing performances by the Pakistan team at the ongoing ODI World Cup in India.

Inzamam tendered his resignation in a letter to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Zaka Ashraf on Monday, just days after Pakistan faced their fourth consecutive defeat in the World Cup. The team's lackluster performance had raised concerns and prompted calls for change within the Pakistan cricket administration.

Simultaneously with Inzamam's resignation, the PCB made a significant announcement. The board revealed that it had established a five-member fact-finding committee to investigate allegations of 'conflict of interest' in relation to the team selection process.

The PCB's statement read, "Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has set up a five-member fact-finding committee to investigate allegations in respect of conflicts of interest reported in the media pertaining to the team selection process. The committee will submit its report and any recommendations to the PCB Management in an expeditious manner."

In an interview with a Pakistani news channel following his resignation, Inzamam expressed his readiness to cooperate with the PCB. He stated that he decided to step down while the committee conducts its inquiry, saying, "We are cricketers, and we are available all the time to serve the country. Since I am facing an inquiry and as the nature of my job is, I should step down and let them conduct the probe."

Reports had earlier emerged suggesting that several prominent Pakistan cricketers, including Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan, were associated with a player’s management company registered with the PCB, in which Inzamam had a stake. These allegations of a conflict of interest ignited controversy within the PCB.

Pakistan's cricket scene has been marked by turmoil since the beginning of the World Cup. The team's on-field struggles have coincided with off-field controversies. Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif alleged that players had not received salaries for the last five months, further adding to the growing disarray. This was compounded by allegations that Babar's messages were being ignored by the PCB chief.

On Monday, PCB’s Chief Operating Officer, Salman Naseer, publicly released a private WhatsApp conversation between Zaka Ashraf and Babar Azam, which had been circulating on social media. In the chat, Zaka inquired about Babar's attempts to reach him, to which Babar responded that he had not made any recent calls to the chairman.

Pakistan's World Cup campaign has been less than stellar, with just two wins out of the six matches played and four losses. These results have significantly impacted the team's chances of reaching the semi-finals, intensifying the scrutiny of the cricket setup in Pakistan.