LAHORE, May 28: Denying that he made Inzamam-ul-Haq a ‘dictator’, former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shaharyar M Khan has expressed his disagreement over finding of the board’s Performance Evaluation Committee (PEC) on the 2007 World Cup disaster.

“The PEC, in its proceedings, has discussed my tenure and criticised me, but its claim that I made Inzamam a ‘dictator’ is absolutely wrong,” Shaharyar told Dawn in an interview.

The PEC, headed by a former Test cricketer Ijaz Butt with members Saleem Altaf and Salahuddin Ahmed, released its report on Pakistan’s poor performance at the World Cup earlier this month.

The PEC was of the view that Shaharyar unnecessarily supported Inzamam after The Oval Test fiasco last year and that really made him a ‘dictator’, regarding it as one of the causes of Pakistan’s poor performance in the World Cup.

“I am not saying Inzamam was an ideal captain but he was a better choice. He had been performing well with the bat and as captain, too. There was not a single true cricket lover, who could say two years ago to change Inzamam as captain because he is a ‘dictator’ or more religious,” he stated.

“I believe Inzamam was Pakistan’s only reliable batsman during the critical period as Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan improved later to strengthen the middle order,” he said.“There are some shortcomings in Inzamam but his collaboration with coach, the late Bob Woolmer, had lifted Pakistan from seventh to the third spot in world rankings,” he expressed.

"As a captain Inzamam has the right to make a demand to the PCB. But on many occasions I did not accept his demands. For example he wanted to retain Moin Khan in the team but we introduced Kamran Akmal and similarly the selectors had called up Yasir Hameed from the last tour of India, though Inzamam did not agree to that,” he said.

Asked the PEC had pointed out that Inzamam became a ‘dictator’ after The Oval Test fiasco in spite of refusing to act on his (Shaharyar’s) advice to resume the play, instead of taking any action he backed the skipper, Shaharyar said though at first Inzamam had refused to recommence the play, later he had agreed.

“Later Inzamam was ready and I believe Darrell Hair is mainly to blame for the debacle,” he said. “When Inzamam had realised the mistake he was prepared to play but then Hair was the only hurdle,” he said.

“Inzamam was in shock after hearing the allegation of ball tampering levelled by Hair but I and Woolmer had convinced him (Inzamam) to resume the play. But when Inzamam was set to lead the team it was Hair who came to Pakistan’s dressing room and in harsh tone asked Inzamam, “Are you going out or not and if you don’t I will penalise you again”.”

He claimed Hair’s visit had changed the state of affairs as after it almost all other Pakistan players had again refused to play.

“Upon it with my consent the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief David Morgan tried to persuade Inzamam to resume the play,” he said, adding though Morgan had convinced Inzamam, but by that time it was too late.

He disclosed that it was again Hair, in a meeting featuring captains, coaches of the two teams, chairmen of both the boards and four umpires, who refused to accept the unanimous decision to resume the game.

Moreover, Hair also refused to accept the ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed’s advice to return to the play. “Speed attempted twice to convince Hair but all in vain due to the umpire’s rude attitude,” he said.

“The entire situation proved Inzamam was also one of the victims,” Shaharyar stated, adding Inzamam should have accepted his mistake.

He dispelled the impression that he supported Inzamam, even after The Oval Test. “After The Oval flop, I did not support Inzamam.” Shaharyar also claimed that Inzamam’s attitude had been annoying for Woolmer.

The former PCB boss also acknowledged that Inzamam was not only the team’s leader but also the boys’ spiritual head.

“In fact, in the beginning Woolmer also complained to me against the players’ joint prayers,” he said.

Shaharyar while quoting Woolmer’s complaint said, “I find no time during the matches to teach the boys about the match strategy, how to control byes, no balls, because during the lunch interval, tea-time and at the close of day’s play the boys get busy in offering joint prayers.”

However, Shaharyar disclosed that after three months Woolmer told him that the players were getting a good spirit besides gaining unity due to joint prayers, a result which he might not have brought in through any other way.

On his decision to replace Yousuf with Younis as Pakistan vice-captain three years ago, he said the PCB thought the prolific middle-order batsman did not have an imposing look for the opposition.

“Yousuf is a great batsman and I met Yousuf before replacing him with Younis and advised him (Yousuf) to focus on his batting as we considered Younis as our future captain,” he said.

But Shaharyar admitted he was deeply disappointed when Younis refused to lead Pakistan on eve of the ICC Champions Trophy last year over a petty issue. The decision ultimately forced Shaharyar to resign from the PCB shortly afterwards.