Alam vows to ‘keep everyone together’

Pakistan’s newly-appointed cricket manager Intikhab Alam assumes his new role amid troubled times for the team.

LAHORE: Pakistan’s newly-appointed cricket manager Intikhab Alam has assumed his new role amid troubled times for the team and, while terming his tenure “very difficult”, has vowed to “keep everyone together” in the dressing room.

Alam, whose first assignment will be the ‘home’ series against South Africa in the UAE, agreed that it was a huge responsibility to manage the team but hoped for an improved show by the team.

“It’s a huge responsibility on my shoulders and I’ve accepted the challenge after a controversy-hit England tour,” Alam told The Express Tribune. “My priority is to move on after consultations and keep the players away from allegations in the future. Therefore, I’ll classify the limits of all off-field activities.”

Regarding the controversial remarks about the players in front of the inquiry committee earlier this year, Alam chose to look ahead to the tour instead of dwelling on Pakistan’s dismal run in Australia.

“Whatever happened in past should remain there and we should move on. Whatever I said was merely for the betterment of the players and I never meant to single out individuals. It was constructive criticism which was blown out of proportion.”

The 68-year-old, who has been recalled after being relieved of his coaching duties in February, first became the team manager following his retirement in 1977. The former captain was removed as manager after his first stint with the team on the tour of South Africa in 1994-95 following match-rigging allegations.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2010.