Addressing a press conference a few hours before Pakistan lost the first Test at the National Stadium by 160 runs, Inzamam said he was leaving without any regret, and took the decision in the larger interest of Pakistan cricket.
“I think this is the right time to make way for the younger players and let them take the centre stage. I don’t want to be a sort of hurdle in youngsters’ progress,” the 37-year old, who will be ending his glittering Test career with 120 caps, told reporters. “I had intimated the selectors that I’m only available for the Lahore Test when they sought my availability for the first Test in Karachi.”
Inzamam stood down as the national skipper and quit One-day Internationals after Pakistan were dumped in the first round of the 2007 World Cup when the unheralded Ireland handed them a shock defeat.
Inzamam, who needs 20 runs to go past Javed Miandad’s 8,832 Test runs and become Pakistan’s highest run-getter, said his presence in the dressing room now would give young players an uncomfortable feeling.
“After a lot of deliberation the realisation dawned upon me that my presence in the dressing room could put undue pressure on the youngsters.
“In the end I said to myself that appropriate time has arrived now to bid farewell to the game I have loved so much over the years,” he said.
The Multan-born right-hander described being part of the 1992 World Cup-winning squad as the highlight of his career during which he figured in 378 One-day Internationals and scored 11,739 runs.
“Apart from that achievement, I suppose my century in the Multan Test against Bangladesh was also a defining moment in my life because I was just making a comeback into the team after a poor 2003 World Cup,” Inzamam noted. “Pakistan’s performance during the 2005 tour of India also gave me great satisfaction as a captain since we came from behind to win the one-day series after clinching the final Test in Bangalore to square the rubber.”
However, Inzamam’s biggest regret remained Pakistan’s disastrous performance in the 2007 World Cup.
“Obviously, it was one of the lowest points in my long career because of the way we played despite having a good side. But I guess there have been other disappointments as well and which are part and parcel of the game,” Inzamam, who also made headlines for his role as captain during The Oval Test fiasco last year, added.
The former captain pledged that he would serve Pakistan cricket in any capacity if the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) required his services.
Inzamam also refuted the impression that he was playing the final Test because he wanted to break Miandad’s record.
“I don’t think it is such a big feat for me because it belongs to a Pakistani. I have learnt a lot about batting from Miandad,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Dr Nasim Ashraf, the PCB Chairman, who was also present on the occasion, refuted claims that the board had struck a deal with Inzamam and send him off with a hefty pay check.
“There has been no such deal and I’m upset by reports in the media that the PCB was planning to give Inzamam a rousing send-off by giving away Rs10 million,” he told reporters. “But certainly we will try to do everything we can for Inzamam and accord him an appropriate farewell a player of his stature richly deserves.”
The PCB chief announced the board was organising a grand send-off for Inzamam after the final Test.
“He (Inzamam) has set a new tradition in the history of Pakistan cricket and I wish others follow the suit in deciding when to retire gracefully from international cricket.
“There is no such tradition in Pakistan cricket where former players haven’t taken the opportunity to go out gracefully and with dignity. I hope Inzamam’s decision will set a positive trend.”