Imran Khan

Karachi: Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer has come in for a scathing attack from two former greats Imran Khan and Zaheer Abbas and has been taken to task by a national selector for his “failure” to bring about any improvements in the Pakistan team.

Imran questioned why the Pakistan Cricket Board was paying Woolmer in excess of 10 million rupees a year for merely arranging fielding and practice sessions.

“Is there any special service that he is providing to our players for that kind of money?” Imran asked.

The former captain castigated Woolmer for saying on the eve of the World Cup that the Pakistani batsmen lacked mental toughness.

“He should be taken for task just for saying this because he was employed to improve their mental toughness. The fielding standards have also fallen badly,” he said.

Ehteshamuddin who was in South Africa with the squad revealed that the selection committee most of the time had to bow to the wishes of the captain and coach.

He disclosed the selectors were not in favour of sending pacer Shabbir Ahmed to South Africa but Inzamam insisted despite being given his fitness report.

Shabbir returned home after bowling just two overs in a Twenty20 Cup match and has not been considered for the World Cup.

He also conceded that the selectors had to do a lot of convincing to get Inzamam to have leg-spinner Danish Kaneria in the World Cup squad.

Likewise Zaheer felt that any local coach could have done a better job. “I think any local coach can do a better and more dedicated job. Neither does Woolmer have anything new to tell our boys nor does he have any control over them,” Zaheer said.

“I was the manager of the Pakistan team in England last year and was thoroughly disappointed at the laid back, unimpressive coaching style of Woolmer,” he said on a television programme.

The Asian Bradman also disclosed that in England, fed up with the failures of the openers, he had tried to take them aside and help them out but was hurt by the attitude of Woolmer and captain Inzamam-ul Haq.

“I was clearly made to feel like an outsider by them as they went around making sarcastic remarks about me exceeding my powers as manager,” Zaheer said.

“I was only trying to help out the boys when Woolmer was making no effort to boost the sinking morale of our players,” he added.