Imam’s selection not nepotism, says Mohammad Yousuf

Former captain says 21-year-old's domestic record earned him a spot against Sri Lanka

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Muhammad Yousuf praised the selection policy of Inzamamul Haq, saying that he has been keeping an eye on the domestic circuit to find new players.

“Inzamam has been keeping a close eye on domestic cricket,” he said. “He has been selecting a good team since he came in.”

Commenting on Imamul Haq, Yousuf clarified that nepotism did not play any part in the rookie's selection. “Giving young cricketers a chance is a good option when seniors are not fully fit. Imam’s selection is being questioned just because he is the nephew of Inzamam, but if you see his domestic record, you would see that he deserves a chance, and this is the best time to test him,” explained Yousuf.

He continued: “I think another reason Imam has been selected is that he has been winning a good number of man-of-the-match awards. This shows that he plays match-winning innings, which Pakistan need badly.”

The 43-year-old added that Imam’s selection shows that domestic cricketers do have a realistic chance of making it to the national team.

“There are a lot of good cricketers and they will also get noticed and a chance in the national team,” he said.