Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim on Monday, 8th July, denied all talks about grouping within the national team, in a World Cup 2019 return press conference in Islamabad.
He also revealed that the team had decided to "avoid the media" after the humiliating defeat against India in a World Cup 2019 match, condemning the treatment given by the media and public.
Imad told the media, “All of us play for Pakistan. I've known Sarfaraz for 15 years, he is not that type of a person. There have never been any disagreements or disputes. On the field, if there are minor disagreements or if the captain says something, we should take it as a player.”
Recalling the meeting by Captain Sarfaraz Ahmed after India match, Wasim said: “The meeting was also a turning point for us [...] you know there were a lot of [rumors] circulating in the media about grouping in the team but it was nothing like that. So, when we had that meeting, he [Ahmed] told us to avoid media reports, give our 100 percent and produce results that are in favor of Pakistan.”
The all-rounder continued, “When we play against India, it seems like we have gone to [fight] a war. It is a game, and winning and losing is part of a game. We were criticized a lot, which is fine. Criticism over [the way we played] cricket is fine. But criticism over personal issues is not fine. This does not happen anywhere in the world except in our country.”
On being asked if he blamed luck for Pakistan's early World Cup 2019 exit, Wasim said: “I don't believe in luck, we should make our own destiny. We should work hard. The result is not in our hands — the things that are controllable are in our hands.”
With Pakistan’s failure to qualify for the semi-final, Sarfaraz’s captaincy once again came under the scanner and Imad also faced such question in the presser.
The all-rounder signed off by saying “I'm not a horse” when he was asked, “whether he was in the race to become captain”.
(With Dawn Inputs)
