Inzamam-ul-Haq sets his sights on 2019 World Cup as Salman Butt return looms large

Inzamam-ul-Haq, the chief selector of the Pakistan national side is weighing his options when it comes to the selection of the side for the upcoming 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. However, matters took a turn when he spoke on the ordeal of Salman Butt who has been one of the diciest subjects when it comes to playing cricket for the country.

While Butt, after serving his ban, has been making waves for the Test side in recent times is now available for selection for the national side along with Mohammad Asif, Inzamam is certainly one not to rule him out in the grand scheme of things. The 46-year old also took the case of Saeed Ajmal who has been one of the players who also has taken to domestic cricket in a bid to improve his form.

The 46-year old elaborated, “When you are out for five years, you need to make a comeback by playing a complete season of domestic cricket. I would like to present the example of (Saeed) Ajmal. When he came back after remodeling his action, we rushed him into the national team. I think that was very early. He should have played in the domestic circuit for six months at least.”

“The World Cup is on our mind and we have to see how many of the available players can be in the national team when the tournament is held in 2019,” he told a press conference in Lahore.”Obviously, when the team does not perform it makes everyone sad including our former players. But it does not mean we chop and change because of this. Our main task is to keep the next World Cup in mind,” he said.

Also read – Playing in India is like playing at home: Habibul Bashar

Speaking about building the team, Inzamam said that chopping and changing was not something the Pakistanis were indeed looking at. “Obviously when the team does not perform it makes everyone sad including our former players. But it does not mean we chop and change because of this. Our main task is to keep the next World Cup in mind,” he said.

“There is no denying that he has contributed a lot but everyone has to step down at some stage of their career this is the way life is and as far as the captaincy issue is concerned that is not my domain and this is for the Pakistan Cricket Board to decide,” he said.