Outgoing Pakistan chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq has expressed his disappointment and stated that the selection role was the most challenging in his professional career. He further stated that he was subject to hurtful criticism for picking his nephew Imam-ul-Haq in the Pakistan national team.
Inzamam is all set to hang his boots from the role of a chief selector on 31st July. Inzy claimed that some of the former cricketers and critics have been merely focusing on targeting him for selecting Imam-ul-Haq in the national team.
“Imam, I think would not have survived for so long in the Pakistan team and international cricket if he was not a performer. He had already played junior cricket for Pakistan and done well in domestic cricket even before I became chief selector, but this fact was ignored by the critics which were hurtful for me,” he said.
“Being chief selector has been the most challenging role of my cricket career as I was heavily criticised for my decisions and I couldn’t respond much,” he added.
Imam-ul-Haq has already established himself in the national team and has represented them in 10 Tests and 36 ODI’s so far. However, his selection has often been criticized by former cricketers especially due to the rate which he scores at. The southpaw is an impressive batsman but time and again he has used up too many deliveries which have resulted in Pakistan not capitalizing on their good starts especially in
The 23-year-old Imam has played 10 Tests and 36 ODIs for Pakistan and his selection has often been criticised by ex-players.
The former captain and batting mainstay conceded that working as a chief selector has been tough.
Inzamam, who appeared in 120 Tests, stepped down after a three-year tenure which ended with Pakistan not qualifying for the semi-finals of the World Cup in England. But during his tenure, Pakistan won the Champions Trophy in 2017 in England and also became world number one in the ICC T20 rankings.
Inzamam further added that he will be involved with cricket in some capacity as it will be impossible him to totally bid adieu to the game. “I can’t leave cricket it is my passion,” he said.