INZAMAM-UL-HAQ is not the first captain to fail to win a World Cup, he will not be the last, but he might go down in history as the most bitter.

Pakistan's retiring captain accepted responsibility for his team's performance, he apologised to the nation, but his words rang hollow amid a tirade at the media. You can learn more about people's character at times of disaster than in moments of triumph.

A few days later, Pakistan's World Cup media manager, PJ Mir, joined Inzamam's criticism of the media. Now, Shahid Afridi has blasted former players for their scathing words. But when you lose to Ireland in a must-win match you have to be stupid to expect any sympathy. Praise and rose-scented garlands are reserved for winners.

The simple matter is that this is Pakistan's most pathetic performance in a World Cup. Nobody imagined that it could get worse than 2003 but under Inzamam's leadership it has. For that alone, Inzamam, his team, the management, and the PCB deserve all the criticism that they have received and probably more.

The sight of Ireland's bowlers running into bowl has given hope to club cricketers all over the world, yet it seemed to petrify our world-class middle-order, who all pushed and prodded their way to fearful dismissals.

Indeed, the worst revelation of Inzamam's outburst was that his team had developed a fear of losing. This mindset is incompatible with succeeding at international sport. To blame the media for this fear was ludicrous. The captain is in charge of the mood of the team. International sportsmen have always had to ride a media wave. Accolades follow success, sympathy follows valour in defeat, and denouncement follows a disaster. It has ever been thus, just that our interconnected media world exposes success and failure more publicly and more quickly than before.

Inzamam, contrary to his own reports, has been treated well by journalists. His failings as a captain have resurfaced repeatedly but the media, like the Pakistani public, has had a soft spot for him and given him an easy ride. Criticism has been made more difficult by the religious regime in the team, whereby an attack on Inzamam has been seen as an attack on his faith.

It is increasingly clear that, despite everything Inzamam says, the religious activities of his team have interfered with their preparations. Inzamam and his born-again brigade have forgotten that they aren't the only devout Muslims to have played for Pakistan, and like everything else in life you need to strike a sensible balance.

The irony of Inzamam's media attack is that his players have become proficient at writing ghosted articles for the media. Worse still, PJ Mir has earned himself a reputation for peddling untruths during the past weeks. These amateur efforts at media manipulation are considered acceptable by Inzamam and Mir, while any criticism of their performance is not. The role of journalists is to speak truth unto power, however uncomfortable. It is not to massage the bruised egos of superstars and politicians.

In fact, the best media spokesman the team had throughout Inzamam's rule was Bob Woolmer, a man who could write and speak with authority, even though he failed to exert sufficient influence on Inzamam and the Pakistan Cricket Board to advance Pakistan cricket.

Ultimately, though, what Inzamam's attack on the media, ex-cricketers, and the pitch for the Ireland match revealed most starkly was a failure of self-analysis. An honest appraisal of your own failings is required before you can begin on the path to self-improvement. This inability to learn has meant that Pakistan cricket has made little progress in Inzamam's time.

The media, ex-cricketers, and the public are furious because the problems that have been identified in the team for at least the last six months are the same problems that brought about their World Cup demise: weak openers, a middle order that crumbles in difficult conditions, a batting order that doesn't work, fielders who prefer to walk instead of run, tactical ineptitude and lethargic leadership.

Inzamam's ill-judged assault this week has shown him to be a man who pays lip service to the hopes of his supporters and blames others when he should really be analysing himself. In those circumstances it is little wonder that Pakistan cricket has stumbled so badly, because the only counterweight to an incompetent cricket board is a strong and wise leader. Inzamam was a strong leader but his wisdom wasn't his strong point.