Pakistan's win breaks ice between Inzamam, Rashid Latif
Pakistan Times Sports Desk

HYDERABAD (India): Inzamam-ul-Haq and Rashid Latif had only spoken once for a brief moment since last April when the latter hinted on television that the fourth One-day International between Pakistan and India at Lahore might have been ‘fixed’.

Pakistan lost that one-day series 2-3 and not surprisingly Inzamam was livid with Rashid’s controversial and demoralising statement at a time when his team was trying to win the series against arch rivals India.

Inzamam in fact had wanted the Pakistan board to initiate legal action against Rashid but the matter was hushed up. And since than he never forgave Rashid for his indiscretion despite the close ties both enjoyed while playing together in domestic cricket or for Pakistan.

"I tried calling him several times after that to tell him I was sorry about what had happened and that I had made a big mistake. I spoke to him once last year when he was in Holland but it was just a brief hello and he was very cold," Rashid said from Dubai on Wednesday.

Finally it took Pakistan’s memorable win over India in the third Test in Bangalore on Monday to break the ice between the two former captains. On Tuesday night Rashid called up Inzamam from Dubai where he is presently doing a one-week coaching assignment for the Emirates Cricket Board.

"I got his number from the team’s assistant manager Asad Mustafa and called him. This time he received the call properly and the first thing I told him was congratulations you have proved us all wrong and made us proud," Rashid recalled.

"Inzamam then spoke in his normal manner and for the first time in a year we discussed and cleared up a lot of things. I told him he is in fine form but his foot still keeps falling across," Rashid said.

"He said that is an old problem and why bother about it after scoring so many runs in international cricket. We laughed and joked and he finally told me he would like to see me in New Delhi next month in the final One-day International."

Incidentally, it was Rashid who had insisted and fought for Inzamam’s comeback to the Pakistan team in August 2003 after the big man was sidelined by the selectors since he had a miserable time in the World Cup scoring just 19 runs in six innings.

"This Pakistan team has really shaped up well and I think in spite of what everyone says Inzi deserves a lot of credit for it," Rashid said.

He also had no doubt that Pakistan would now also beat India in the six-match one-day series.

While Rashid might not in the team anymore, his influence and contribution to Pakistan cricket is still very much there in Younis Khan, Asim Kamal and Mohammad Sami, all close friends of the former captain who promoted them at the domestic level when no one knew them.

Incidentally, Inzamam has been captain since November 2003 when Rashid stepped down after differences with the board and then brought his career to a halt after refusing to play in the home Test series with South Africa.●