Dubai: Being a relative of the legendary batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq is indeed a privilege but it puts additional pressure on them.
Inzamam is not just a former Pakistan captain now but chief selector and that has led to rumours that he uses his clout to select his relatives.
The latest accusation is that Inzamam used his position to get his son Ibtisam-ul-Haq in the Pakistan Under-19 team.
When Inzamam selected his talented nephew Imam-ul-Haq for the 2017 series against Sri Lanka in the UAE, a section of the media accused him of influencing the other selectors.
On accusation about his son’s selection, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has immediately stepped forward and given Inzamam their full assurance of their trust and support.
An angry Inzamam had released a video message categorically denying influencing anyone and even said he would resign if that were proven.
Imam proved that he was selected by Inzamam purely on merit by hitting four centuries in his first nine ODIs, including on debut.
Speaking after the practice session for the Asia Cup, Imam said: “Inzamam is my uncle and it is not my fault. He has been a legend for Pakistan and there is pressure, I won’t lie. Especially, the pressure that comes from the Pakistan media.”
Imam has learnt to handle the pressure from the media using his bat to do the talking. “I sometimes have to deal with it. But now, I’m used to it. The support system around me is good and I now know how to handle these things. Nine matches and four international hundreds, the start has been good. I have a bat and there is a ground and I just want to perform,” said Imam, who wants to make a name for himself and not be constantly under pressure being talked about as Inzamam’s nephew.
“I want to be Imam-ul-Haq. I want to have a memorable Asia Cup where people will remember me for my performance,” said the 22-year-old bespectacled opener.
Imam has a special attachment to UAE as he made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in October last year and hit a century in his first match at the Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Imam showed his ability to tackle questions from the media intelligently despite having played international cricket for only an year. Answering to a query as to whether Pakistan team would want to win the Asia Cup as a gift for their new Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was himself a cricketer, Imam said: “It will be nice if we win the Asia Cup. It’s not about Imran Khan or about the prime minister it is about winning every series for the country for the people to celebrate. “
When asked about Indian team without Virat Kohli, he said: “India are a very good team and since Virat Kohli isn’t there, there will be a bit of a difference. But even without him, they are a good batting side and the conditions here in Dubai are pretty similar to Indian wickets.”
Imam made it clear that the win over India in the Champions Trophy, will have no effect. “I don’t think there is a psychological effect. Whenever Pakistan and India play each other, we have to control our nerves. It doesn’t matter what the previous record is and it depends on how you perform on the day. Both are very good sides and heading to the World Cup, it is going to be a very good match (on September 19),” he said.
