Pak players interfere in management issues

“The biggest problem I have faced is that some players try to interfere in management issues and when that happens then problems occur. Everyone needs to know what his role is in the team,” Intikhab told “Geo Super” channel in an interview.

“Another big problem in the team is that some players leak out information to the media about team meetings and happenings which are not meant for public consumption and that leads to misunderstandings and problems and these things are damaging to the team,” he added.

Intikhab, who has been with the team since October 2008 as coach and then manager, said there had been instances when inside information was leaked to the media.

“They were times when 15 minutes after a team meeting television channels were running tickers about things that happened or were discussed in the meeting.”

He said this was unfortunate as most of the time the management knew which players were responsible for this.

“This is a big problem in the team. There is a need for these players to sit down and discuss everything including reservations with the management.”

The 69-year-old former captain said this culture had developed in the team in the last 10-years.

“We are now trying to explain things to the players, reform them and make them understand the repercussions of their actions.” “Lack of education in some players is a big block for us. But we have succeeded in slowly turning around things,” Intikhab said.

Intikhab said players were now responding and due to the strong backing of the PCB, the management had succeeded in rooting out groupings in the team.

“Let me tell you the board Chairman has never interfered in my work. I am not a yes man of the board,” he asserted

Alam`s critical reports in the past have led the board to removing Shoaib Malik, Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi as captains.

In his last tour report of the West Indies tour, Intikhab described Afridi as an unstable and temperamental person who had problems with coach Waqar Younis.

“Afridi is a hyperactive, impatient and temperamental person who acts on impulse and later realises what he has done. But I have no personal issues with him and I have found him to be a good man,” he said.

“Let me tell you that whatever I have written in my reports about some players and captains is based on facts and figures and the truth,” he added.

On the case of wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider fleeing the team hotel from Dubai last November to seek asylum in London, Intikhab said he felt sorry for him as he was a very good stumper.

“He is now saying that what he did was wrong but I just feel sad that whoever advised him to do all this has damaged him and Pakistan cricket. The sad part is that most of these players don`t realise the repercussions of their actions until later on,” he said.