Inzi in trouble

The turmoil in Pakistan cricket is not going to end any time soon. And this can be vouched for, from what has happened over the past 2 months and what is in store for the coming days ahead. This includes phases during and after the Champions’ Trophy. The spate of controversies started off with the Oval Mess, and the PCB issues which came up, leading to Shahryar Khan’s quitting the chief’s post. Couple with it the refusal and then the final acceptance to lead Pakistan by Younis Khan and then of course the doping scandal and we have a great climax building up.

The climax will certainly include the main protagonists in Inzamam, Younis Khan and the new chief of PCB. What has been noticed of late is how the PCB has all of a sudden swung into action with the induction of Nasim Ashraf as the new PCB chief. Not only has his team went ahead with the doping well ahead of the random tests that ICC had planned to do, it has also made it possible for Younis Khan to be reinstated as Pakistan team’s captain. Couple of days’ back, PCB also blamed Inzamam for the entire forfeited test match at the Oval.


This can only mean one thing. End of the road for Inzamam. The burly batsman, who was instrumental in helping Pakistan lift the 1992 World Cup in Australia, maybe in the last days of an illustrious career. Shahryar Khan, who was the chief when the Oval controversy happened, had given full support to Inzamam. Younis Khan refused the captaincy of Pakistan team for Champions’ Trophy which led Shahryar Khan to quit his job, and the day after the new PCB chief was chosen, lo and behold, Younis Khan is ready to take up the captaincy mantle! And the proactive new PCB went ahead and caught Asif and Shoaib for doping. Now, the PCB is blaming Inzi for the Oval controversy.

Inzamam is on the wrong side of 30, aged 36 now, and is clearly in trouble with the new PCB chief. With Younis Khan winning praise for the surprising win against Sri Lanka in the Champions’ Trophy, Inzi’s captaincy maybe in danger. Inzi can join the Pakistan team after his 4 match ODI ban, to play in the finals, if Pakistan reaches there. What would be interesting is, if Inzi will be considered in such a situation. Age being not on his side, and the PCB now blaming Inzi for the forfeited match, it is quite likely that Inzi’s career might end abruptly, quite like where Ganguly’s might be heading to.