Dubai: The selector’s job is a thankless one anyway, but life can be all the more difficult if he would select a relative who has done well in domestic cricket. Pakistan chief selector and former captain Inzamam-Ul Haq is now feeling the heat of having selected his nephew — 21-year-old Immam Ul Haq over another in-form batsman Sami Aslam.
Speaking during the dinner break soon after announcing the One-day squad, Inzamam said: “If you say that he is my nephew, then the selection was tough. But if you see the performance which he has given, (they’re) good. Our plan was to continue with the Champions trophy squad, but unfortunately Azhar Ali has a knee problem. So we needed one opener and in my opinion (Imam’s) was the best performance among the openers.”
Aslam had score more centuries than Immam and has a better record in domestic cricket, but according to Inzamam: “Look, you have to notice the talent and what he can do. His (Immam) performance was good in the Quaid e Azam trophy. He scored two hundreds in the Under-23 in the triangular tournament in Bangladesh. He scored a hundred even in a recent Quadi e Azam Trophy match in Sialkot. You also need to look at how far the player can go. We give all the names but even coach Mickey (Arthur) and captain Sarfraz (Ahmad) also give their opinion and we all consult each other. It’s always my wish that any player who comes in should score runs so I also hope Imam gets runs,” said Inzamam.
When asked whether the selectors now have a policy to not give tested and tried players another chance, Inzamam said: “Look, it’s tough to give a player a chance who has already be tried several times. You don’t shut the door on 30-plus players because we had been playing an over-40 player, so it’s tough to give tested and tried players. If we needed them, then we will definitely give them a chance.”
To a query whether Umar Akmal will be considered again after the ban (over his criticism of coach Mickey Arthur), the former Pakistan great said: “I have not spoken to him after the ban. I tried to make him understand previously. We can’t shut the door on any player. His issue is fitness and now another issue is discipline. He needs to improve on these issues and then he can be considered.”
