KARACHI: Chairman of PCB’s national selection committee Inzamam-ul-Haq on Sunday expressed his disappointment at Pakistan’s failure to match New Zealand in the ongoing One-day International series.

Talking to reporters a day after New Zealand had routed Sarfraz Ahmed’s tourists by 183 runs in Dunedin to take a 3-0 unassailable lead in the five-match series, Inzamam said the national side had failed to live up to the expectations.

“Obviously, we are all disappointed at the manner in which the [Pakistan] team capitulated on Saturday. There are no excuses for such a bad show put up by the boys,” the chief selector said on the sidelines of the One-day Departmental Cup final at the UBL Sports Complex.

“We [selectors] had picked the best available squad of players and the core of them won the ICC Champions Trophy only six months ago. No doubt the pitches in New Zealand are tough for most touring teams because it takes time to adjust to the conditions there.

“I always maintain it is no disgrace when you lose a game but to be not playing to potential is something which is unacceptable. What has disturbed us most that the experienced lot has not been able to perform so far and that’s not a good sign,” the former Pakistan added.

Inzamam put up a brave face when asked to explain the extraordinary batting collapse when Pakistan crumbled to 16-5 and then 32-8 before being shot out for 74 at the University Oval.

“We are just as perturbed as you people are. There was no justification to lose wickets in a clatter because the pitch was good enough for batting. We examine will definitely find the causes [of collective top-order failures] once the team returns.

“But at this point of time, I must say New Zealand have outplayed us in every department and that can be gauge by their extremely proactive body language. Our boys are capable of performing much better. Nobody gave Pakistan much chance of winning the Champions Trophy and yet the way we won the final [against India] was a wonderful gift for the entire country after many years,” Inzamam remarked.

The chief selector reminded it would be premature to press the panic button at this juncture, while hoping Pakistan put up a good fight in the remaining two one-dayers and the three-match Twenty20 International series to follow.

“Although the one-day series is lost, I still believe Pakistan have the capacity to bounce back in the two games left. As far as the T20 series in concern, Pakistan have even chance there,” he concluded.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2018