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Pak team manager upset with Woolmer, Inzamam
Altaf wants Shoaib Malik, who can't bowl due to ICC restrictions, to be dropped for Younis Khan in the third one-dayer.
Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer and captain Inzamam-ul-Haq have reportedly upset the team's manager, Saleem Altaf, with their apparent refusal to drop their "blue-eyed" all-rounder Shoaib Malik for vice-captain Younis Khan in the final eleven for the third One-Day International against India to be played at the Keenan Stadium on Saturday.
According to informed sources, Altaf has suggested that as Malik cannot bowl because of ICC restrictions, he should not be considered and a specialist batsman and a couple of bowlers should be picked for the match. But both Inzamam and Woolmer feel that Younis can only come in for Hafeez.
"Woolmer has a lot of confidence in Malik and is reluctant to drop him despite his form and the fact that logic demands Younis play at any cost without reducing the number of bowling options from six to five. This attitude has not pleased Altaf who is also the director (cricket operations) of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and there has been talk on this issue," a team source stated.
Altaf, sources say, also feels something different is needed in the bowling to stop Sehwag's streak of runs if Pakistan wants to win the remaining matches.
"But he is upset having noticed that the coach has a few favourites in the team and is not willing to drop them despite solid reasoning," a source disclosed.
Altaf is due to submit a detailed report on the tour and the performance of the team members when he returns to Pakistan and the source said he was not overly impressed with some of the things he had seen in the team.
The source said Altaf was planning to have a one to one meeting with Inzamam to sort things out in this direction before the game on Saturday.
"Altaf is also surprised that the board has signed a contract with the coach with no termination clause in it and the fact that there is a huge compensation clause to be adhered to by the board if it wants to replace the coach," the source said.
Woolmer however has made it clear time and again that he does not have a magic potion to turn the team overnight into world beaters and it would take time for the players to adjust to his cricket philosophy and way of going about things on the field.
