BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, 4 March 2003 — Pakistan’s premier batsman Inzamam-ul Haq stormed out of his team’s practice session yesterday after a brawl with teammates ahead of today’s key World Cup match against Zimbabwe.
The incident occurred while the squad was playing a game of football before the net session in which teammate Younis Khan argued with Inzamam over whether or not a goal had been scored cleanly.
When veteran opener Saeed Anwar intervened to separate the two, Inzamam pushed him to the ground, forcing coach Richard Pybus to call off the game and take the team back to the dressing room.
An angry Inzamam left the field and returned to the team hotel while the others resumed training after a short break. Both captain Waqar Younis and coach Pybus played down the incident, but the pressure on the Pakistani players to qualify for the Super Sixes after losing their match to arch rivals India was clearly evident.
Pakistan need a big win against Zimbabwe to qualify after being stranded on eight points from their first five matches. A simple victory for Zimbabwe will see the co-hosts through, otherwise England will take the third spot in Group A behind defending champions Australia and India.
“There was no brawl or real physical contact,” Pybus said. “It was just the normal kind of incident you get at a game of soccer. It meant nothing at all. They love their soccer as part of a fitness program. I’m sure it was all in good and high spirits.”
Pybus, however, did not say why Inzamam had not taken part in the net session later. Pakistan’s media manager Samiul Hasan later told AFP that Inzamam was “feeling sick” and had to return to the hotel.
“Pakistan manager Shaharyar Khan called both Inzamam and Younis and told them such a thing should not be repeated,” Hasan said. “Inzamam is a senior player and probably felt bad that Younis had got into an argument with him. Inzi was also feeling sick and that’s why he went back.”
Younis Khan was also involved in a brawl with Shoaib Akhtar during Pakistan’s tour of Zimbabwe last December when the fast bowler sent Younis sprawling to the floor with a bouncer at the nets.
Meanwhile, Waqar Younis has conceded Pakistan have failed to perform in all departments at the World Cup. “The batsmen have struggled and the bowlers have also been expensive,” Waqar said on the eve of Pakistan’s final Group A match against Zimbabwe.
“The defeat to India (on Saturday at Centurion) has come as a huge disappointment. Unfortunately we have just not performed to our potential. We have not got the required wickets in the middle overs.”
Kenya Hoping History Repeats
Against West Indies
In Kimberley, Kenya’s cricketers are hoping history repeats itself when they take on the once mighty West Indies in today’s final World Cup Group B match.
The African side, who pulled off the biggest upset in the tournament’s history when they beat West Indies at the 1996 World Cup, believe they can do it again at De Beers Diamond Oval.
