KINGSTON, March 20: Mushtaq Ahmed, given the job of replacing Bob Woolmer as coach for the rest of the World Cup, on Tuesday described his death as the worst thing to happen to Pakistan cricket.

Mushtaq, 36, was promoted from assistant coach following Woolmer's death on Sunday.

“The loss of Bob Woolmer is the biggest blow in the history of the Pakistan cricket team,” Mushtaq told reporters. “He was a father figure to all of us. There is a great vacuum because Bob had become part of the family and when you lose a member of the family one only knows how bad it is. It is a very difficult time for all of us.”

“The boys, and myself in particular, have been in total depression so it (the football) was just a way of coming out (of our hotel rooms) and getting ready for the match.” Mushtaq has a reputation for being the dressing room comedian but he said even he could not lift the team at this time.”— Reuters