JOHANNESBURG, March 20: The sacking of Waqar Younis as Pakistan captain once again reiterated the belief that the World Cup is a graveyard for the leaders of the game.

New Zealand’s Stephen Fleming came to this World Cup as the only survivor of the 12-member captains club that ruled the tournament four years ago in England.

Those who lost their jobs between the last and the current World Cup were: Wasim Akram of Pakistan, Mohammad Azharuddin of India, Alec Stewart of England, Brian Lara of the West Indies, Arjuna Ranatunga of Sri Lanka, Steve Waugh of Australia, Hansie Cronje of South Africa, Alistair Campbell of Zimbabwe, Aminul Islam of Bangladesh and Asif Karim of Kenya.

Scotland’s Greg Salmond too would have been included in the above list, but his team failed to qualify for the 2003 edition.

Now even before the current touranment has ended, two captains have already been shown the door, one resigned in disgust, another is pondering his future while yet another is hovering on the brink.

South Africa sacked Shaun Pollock after the hosts failed to make the Super Six even though the team is currently the official world champions in Test cricket.

Waqar’s sacking on Wednesday was on expected lines after co-favourites Pakistan lost to arch-rivals India on their way to making their exit after the first round. He was replaced by Rashid Latif, Pakistan’s sixth captain in five years.

Nasser Hussain resigned as one-day captain, disgusted at the way officials handled the Zimbabwe boycott issue, even though he wants to remain the leader for Test matches.

Carl Hooper is uncertain to lead the West Indies in the upcoming home series against Australia, while Bangladesh’s Khaled Mashud said he was still undecided whether to step down.

Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak, on the other hand, insisted he will not follow Andy Flower and Henry Olonga into retirement and that he would battle on at the head of his team which was dogged by political controversy throughout the World Cup.

“I will keep going as long as my body allows. I love my country, I love my job, I’ll keep going,” said Streak after Flower and Olonga slipped into international retirement and exile, both fearing for their safety if they returned home following their black armband, anti-Robert Mugabe protests.

Pollock blamed the legacy of disgraced former skipper Cronje for his sacking, although he vowed to play on under new captain Graeme Smith.

“Ever since the Hansie issue there’s been an effort to make sure the captain wasn’t given too much power and shared responsibilty was the approach they wanted,” Pollock said.

Cronje, who was killed in a plane crash last year, received a life ban from cricket in 2000 after being found guilty of corruption charges.

England’s Hussain advocated the Australian policy of having separate Test and one-day captains to lessen the increased pressure which goes with the job.

“On tour you have so many questions about so many thinks apart from yourself and England’s cricket,” Hussain said.

“You have to talk about injuries, opposing players, about the International Cricket Council, the ECB, about political issues like Zimbabwe.

“Splitting the captaincy would help me if I was asked to stay on as Test captain and it would also help the new one-day skipper settle into the job.—AFP