Men’s ODI WC: Inzamam-ul-Haq quits as Pakistan chief selector over conflict of interest allegations (Ld)
Lahore, Oct 30 (IANS) Inzamam-ul-Haq has quit as chief selector of the Pakistan men’s team over conflict of interest allegations in team selections and his role in a player management company with which most of the players in ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 squad have signed up.
Allegations have been made in Pakistan media circles that former captain Inzamam-ul_Haq along with his brother Intisar-ul-Haq and cricketer Mohd Rizwan has set up a player management company called Yazoo International Ltd in the United Kingdom and has recruited a large number of players.
It is alleged that all those players who have signed up with Yazoo International have been selected in the Pakistan World Cup squad. The reports said that Pakistan skipper Babar Azam is also a major beneficiary of Yazoo International Ltd.
The Pakistan team has lost four matches in succession including an embarrassing defeat to arch-rivals India and a humiliating loss, for the first time in an ODI, against neighbours Afghanistan.
Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq became the first victim of the faltering World Cup campaign as he was accused of a conflict of interest in team selection.
The Pakistan team is facing a possible early exit from the World Cup.
Pakistan are currently placed sixth in the points table with four points from two wins and four defeats.
With India leading the points table with 12 points, South Africa are second with 10 points with New Zealand (8), Australia (8), Sri Lanka (4), Pakistan (4) and Afghanistan (4) and Netherlands (4) placed in that order. Bangladesh and England bring in the rear with two points each.
After the team’s disastrous results in the World Cup, Inzamam has been accused of a conflict of interest about the team selection process.
Inzamam’s nephew Imam-ul-Haq is also part of the World Cup squad.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has set up a five-member fact-finding committee to investigate allegations in respect of conflict of interest reported in the media about the team selection process.
The committee will submit its report and any recommendations to the PCB Management in an expeditious manner.
–IANS
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