LAHORE: Former Pakistan captain and coach Intikhab Alam is not happy with the way head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis left the national team in the wilderness just one month before the start of the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE.

Former Test captains Waqar and Misbah out of the blue resigned just as the Pakistan squad for the T20 World Cup was announced on Monday with a number of controversial inclusions and exclusions triggering speculations about differences on the team selection.

“Their [Misbah and Waqar] decisions to resign are not in the national interest. Unfortunately, no one is considering the country’s interest first. Assignments come and go but what the country has given you and what you are giving it in return should be the priority of everyone,” Intikhab said while talking to Dawn on Wednesday.

“In fact it is a matter of mismanagement. There was a need [for head coach and bowling coach] to sit down to sort out the differences. At this level everyone can have differences with others but considering national interest first should be everyone’s priority,” Intikhab remarked.

“I don’t know if Misbah and Waqar asked [the PCB] to be relieved or they themselves resigned but either way it is not good for the national team as the T20 World Cup is around the corner.”

Intikhab said if the PCB sent any unfriendly message to both the officials they were also wrong as a dialogue must be held between the two parties — PCB and coaches — in order to sort out the matters.

It may be mentioned here that both Misbah and Waqar left the team after performing their last duties on the West Indies tour where Pakistan won and lost one Test match besides winning a T20 match out of four while the remaining three were washed out.

“In such a case, both the parties should have dealt with the matter in a professional way to end it in a graceful manner but it is unfortunate that no one was there to advise both Misbah and Waqar to act wisely,” Intikhab said.

Meanwhile answering a question if PCB chairman-designate Ramiz Raja would be able to put the Board on the right path, Intikhab reckoned it was a difficult job, wished him well and hoped he had the ability to face the challenges.

“As far as I know Ramiz is an honest and straightforward man but he has to make a good team and to have sincere advisors and to always keep the national cause at high point in every case,” he said.

To a question, Intikhab believed Ramiz might opt for foreign coaches.

“The matter is not about foreign or local coaches, the real job is to pick the best ones, and that requires a comprehensive thought process,” Intikhab stated.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2021