It's too late to remove Misbah as captain: Inzamam

With the word divided on Pakistan's leadership in 2015 World Cup between Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Aridi, former skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq said that it's too late to meddle with the national captaincy with just over a 100 days remaining for the showpiece event.

"I think Pakistan should now continue with Misbah as captain. It's too late to make any changes on the leadership front at this point of time. I know that Misbah has his limitations but he should carry on, at least till the World Cup," said Inzamam during Aaj Tak’s Salaam Indian conclave.

At a powerpacked gathering of World Cup-winning captains, it was a unanimous say that though Pakistan are a talented and unpredictable team but they don't stand a chance in the upcoming 50-over Cup. Inzamam though begged to differ and said that one should never lose hope.

"Look, every team goes through a lean patch. Pakistan have been devoid of international cricket at home for long, which has affected their confidence and morale. But I am an eternal optimist and still hope that the team could spring a surprise in Australia," said Inzamam, who was part of the 1992 World Cup team led by the great Imran Khan.

Inzamam fondly recounted his days with Imran at the helm and how the captain inspired the team.

"Imran never lost faith in us as players, individually and as a team and that gave us the confidence to win. He was a leader par excellence and Pakistan have seen none like him. I can't even compare Misbah or anybody to Imran, but I still hope that we can take a cue from his ways to move forward and do well as a team in the future," said Inzamam, who fashioned

Pakistan's 1992 semi-final win to become an overnight hero and subsequently one of the greatest batsmen of the nation.

Having taken to propagation of Islam by joining the 'tablighi jamaat', Inzamam, clad in a blue Pathan suit and a white skull cap, also spoke about the pressure of playing against India and also the camaraderie between the players.

"Even our relatives did not speak properly on the phone when we lost to India. The pressure of an India-Pakistan game is immense. But still we (players) find enough time to befriend each other and thats the beauty of it," said Inzamam in chaste Urdu.

"I urge the administrators of both the teams to make them play more often to reduce the pressure of these matches and increase harmony between the arch-rivals. Cricket is always a great way to bridge gaps and I hope to see the two teams locking horns frequently," said Inzamam.