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| October 31, 2006 | Tuesday | Shawwal 7, 1427 |
All not lost for Pakistan, says Woolmer
KARACHI, Oct 30: Pakistan are still on track for next year's cricket World Cup despite their early Champions Trophy exit, but the team must learn quickly from their mistakes, coach Bob Woolmer said on Monday.
“We are a good side and can play good cricket. It is important we look how we lost, learn from mistakes and look at things carefully before the World Cup,” said Woolmer.
Pakistan, already without two key bowlers after a drugs scandal, crashed out of the Champions Trophy with a 124-run defeat against South Africa in Mohali on Friday, their second loss in three matches.
Woolmer blamed recent events away from the pitch for Pakistan's lacklustre performance.
“I am not making any excuses, but off-field events of the last two months had a bearing. How do you expect a team to perform adequately after all this? But despite adversity they played out of their skins against Sri Lanka,” said Woolmer, 58.
Pakistan were without their inspirational captain Inzamam-ul-Haq as he was serving a ban for bringing the game into disrepute during August's Oval Test against England. Inzamam had protested over allegations of ball tampering.
He was cleared of the tampering charges but was handed a four-match ban for his protest.
His replacement Younis Khan dramatically refused to lead the side, saying he did not want to be a dummy captain. That was followed by the resignation of the PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, whose replacement, Dr Nasim Ashraf, brought back Younis.
Then pacemen Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif were revealed to have tested positive for steroids a day before team's opening match against Sri Lanka at Jaipur.
Both were recalled from India and face a two-year ban pending an inquiry.
“Take Ponting, Lee and McGrath out of the Australian team then see how they fare. In the same way Pakistan missed Inzamam, Asif and Shoaib and all three are important for Pakistan's World Cup campaign,” said Woolmer.
Woolmer also blamed the Mohali pitch for Pakistan's dismal batting.
“People say we are not good on bouncy pitches like at Perth, Old Trafford and Mohali. In 2005, I asked the PCB for concrete pitches so that we can try and replicate them” but the request was never passed,” he said.—AFP
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