Miandad says Pakistan cricket decision a mistake by AFP

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Ground:	Kennington Oval, Kennington
Scorecard:	England v Pakistan
Player:	Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq
Event:	Pakistan in British Isles 2006

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DateLine: 22nd August 2006

 

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad on Monday said Pakistan had put themselves in a difficult position and made a mistake by not taking the field following the row over alleged ball tampering which wrecked the fourth Test against England.

 

"Pakistan committed mistake after mistake and put themselves in a no-win situation," Miandad told AFP.

 

Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq was certain to face a penalty, if not others, he said.

 

"Whoever has taken the decision but it's the skipper who will face the punishment," Miandad said.

 

Pakistan stayed off the pitch on Sunday after the tea interval to register their anger at being penalised five runs by the Australian umpire Darrell Hair and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove over allegations of ball-tampering.

 

The Pakistanis eventually came out but the umpires refused to let the match proceed. It was awarded to England.

 

Miandad said that Inzamam had accepted Hair's decision by playing the game till the break.

 

"Either he should have taken the decision immediately or have played the match under protest," he said.

 

"Pakistan has not only lost the match, but also lost the sympathy with the crowd, who came to see the game," he said.

 

"If I have been in Inzamam's place I would have asked the boys to play on. I would have played under protest and kept the door open for the appeal," Miandad said.

 

"What Hair did would be decided by the ICC after hearing Hair, match referee and there will not be many votes in our favour. So we may emerge as loser," he said.

 

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf phoned Inzamam to offer his support in the row, officials said.

 

News of Musharraf's call came after demonstrators held small but angry rallies in several cities, torching pictures of Hair and chanting: "You are a mini-Hitler".

 

Inzamam was charged Monday with ball tampering and bringing the game into disrepute by the International Cricket Council following the debacle on the fourth day of the Test at the Oval on Sunday.

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)