Inzamam-ul-Haq: “I believe it is the right time for the Pakistan Cricket Board to appoint a new chief selector who can bring new ideas and fresh thinking”

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

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

Inzamam revealed that he isn’t interested in getting his contract extended when it expires at the end of the month as he feels it is time for someone with “new ideas and fresh thinking” to take over.

There had been a lot of speculation surrounding Inzamam’s job following Pakistan’s failure to qualify for the World Cup semi-finals.

Inzamam occupied the post in August 2016 after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expressed their eagerness to name him chief selector. The board was so desperate that they even bought out the last year of his contract as Afghanistan’s head coach.

“After more than three years as Chair of the Pakistan Men’s Selection Committee, I have decided not to seek a renewal of my contract,” he was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. “With the ICC World Test Championship due to get underway in September and the ICC T20 World Cup in 2020 and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, I believe it is the right time for the Pakistan Cricket Board to appoint a new chief selector who can bring new ideas and fresh thinking.

“I spoke to PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani and Managing Director Wasim Khan on Monday and conveyed my decision to them separately. I also thanked them for backing and supporting the selection committee since taking over the reins of Pakistan cricket.

“The Pakistan cricket team has come a long way since the departures of stalwarts like Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan in May 2017 and is now destined for improved results as the youngsters have grown in experience and stature. They are now ready to excel and perform consistently across the three formats.

“The most important aspect is when we got the team, there were many players at the end of their career. We had to pick young players and I strongly believe that these 15 to 16 players can serve around 10 to 15 years. Our job was to pick potential new players and we took a chance on many players. We had picked over 15 young players in this tenure and now in every format we have young world-class players.

“It has been a pleasure to see these players grow and make names for themselves in international cricket. I will follow their progress with interest because I firmly believe these players have all the ingredients to take the Pakistan cricket team to greater heights.

“The team could have performed better during my time than the results reflect and I may have inadvertently overlooked some potentially deserving players, but I have always had the best interests of Pakistan cricket foremost in my heart. I hope the passionate Pakistan cricket fans will understand and can see this in my decisions.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow selectors, who worked tireless behind the scenes, as well as captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and coach Mickey Arthur. I think we worked very well as a group, stayed together in difficult times, and continued to collectively move in the same direction.

“I wish the new chief of the selection committee and the Pakistan cricket teams all the best in what will be exciting but competitive times in international cricket.”

However, it is believed that Inzamam is just the first of many people who will resign or be sacked since the PCB’s Cricket Committee will be conducting a comprehensive review of the last three years.

Head coach Mickey Arthur could lose his job, while Sarfraz Ahmed could be stripped of the captaincy entirely or lead Pakistan in fewer formats.

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