E-Paper
Inzamam "lucky" to avoid ban: Ponting
The Australian captain was also adamant that Matthew Hayden should continue to open the innings, but said it would be up to selectors to decide.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting on Thursday said his Pakistani counterpart was fortunate to be playing in the tri-series cricket finals after escaping a ban for slow over-rates.
Speaking ahead of the best-of-three limited-overs final series starting on Friday, Ponting said Inzamam-ul-Haq was "pretty lucky" to be taking the field after being sanctioned for the second time in 12 months.
"I know I'm constantly asking the guys to get through the overs quicker and bowl their overs quicker if they can," said Ponting, who has previously used spinners to speed up his side's overs.
"One-day cricket can be decided by a run or a couple of runs here and there and if I can't bowl the bowlers that I want to, when I want to, that makes it harder."
Inzamam was fined his match fee for a slow over-rate against the West Indies on Tuesday by match referee Chris Broad.
The International Cricket Council said in a statement issued in London that because it was his second offence in a year, the charge should have been upgraded to a Level 3 breach, which carries an automatic ban of between two and four Test matches or four and eight One-Day Internationals.
Match referee Broad later admitted he had failed to look at Inzamam's record.
"In applying the provisions of the ICC code I neglected to consult Inzamam's past record," Broad said.
"It was an honest mistake and the matter has been dealt with."
The ICC confirmed Inzamam would not be banned retrospectively, meaning the skipper is poised to continue his good form with the bat, having struck four half-centuries in the six pool matches this series.
Pakistan come into the match after two successive morale-boosting wins following the 30-run victory on Tuesday and a three-wicket defeat of Australia on Sunday.
But for the Australians, there is a great deal of speculation about who will fill the opening batting position with Adam Gilchrist following Matthew Hayden's recent poor form.
