Inzamam regrets defeat, admits responsibility

Pakistan's outgoing cricket captain Inzamam-ul-Haq while admitting responsibility of the national team's defeat in the World Cup, charged foreign media to exaggerate Bob Woomler's news and added that Pakistani media also supported it instead of helping their team at this crucial time.
In his first media appearance after returning home, Inzamam said "I admit responsibility of defeat in the World Cup and beg pardon from the nation for the debacle" and added that foreign media intentionally tried to tarnish the image of Pakistan.
Inzamam, however, said that team was united and players were confident but after failure, people are raising such objections unjustly. Inzamam said that he had decided to quit one-day cricket before the death of the team coach Bob Woolmer.
He said, instead of consoling at the time of need, he was being discouraged through unfair criticism and said the criticism by the selection committee was uncalled for. He said unfortunately Pakistani people did not accept defeat as a natural part of the game and criticised the team ignoring all the glorious achievements of the past.
He said that selection committee and other seniors also share the responsibility of the debacle. He said they were making good efforts to make a quick comeback as they had good achievements in the past. Replying to a question about players' religious activities, Inzamam said they were playing for last many years and performing their religious obligations also but now because of the defeat, people are finding faults in what they otherwise appreciate.
On a question about Pakistan's defeat by Ireland and West Indies, he said that no team lost a game deliberately.
He said the Caribbean pitches were not suitable for the one-day cricket and doubted that it might be a conspiracy against Pakistani team. Commenting on suggestions about change in the batting order, the outgoing skipper said that Younis Khan and Muhammad Yousuf were performing well at top third and fourth positions, so how could he reposition them from their right positions in a carefully arranged batting order. Inzamam optimistically said that future of cricket was bright in the country as the youth had immense love for cricket. He recommended changes in structure of the domestic cricket.
Responding to a question about the new captain of the national team, Inzamam said Vice Captain Younis Khan should be offered captaincy of the team.