Pakistan chief selector and former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has warned non-performing players that they will be ‘sent home’ if they don’t raise their game.
Sarfraz Ahmed‘s team suffered a 2-1 Test series defeat to New Zealand in the UAE, losing both matches in Abu Dhabi from winning positions. Pakistan had suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to Sri Lanka in the UAE last year as well.
Inzamam said the entire team is to be blamed for the defeat and with a full tour of South Africa – which includes three Tests, five ODIs and three T20s – starting at the end of the month, the chief selector said there is no room for any slip-ups.
“I wouldn’t single out and just blame the captain. The fact is that three times our batting collapsed under pressure in the series which is unacceptable,” Inzamam said in Lahore.
“All the players have to realise their responsibilities and perform their roles in the team otherwise they will go home now and there will be changes in the team.”
Inzamam said what hurt him most was the manner of defeats. Pakistan were cruising in the first Test chasing 176 but lost by four runs before squandering a winning position after taking a first innings lead in the third.
“We should have won all three Tests but we lost two of them only because of our own mistakes. This is a national level team and players are not selected for Pakistan to not cope with pressure. This is their job as professionals,” said the former skipper.
“There is also the problem of maintaining a healthy strike rate. (Former captain) Imran Khan used to tell us that the team whose tail-end batsmen don’t get runs would find it difficult to win. I think that is also the problem with the present outfit.”
