Sick of hypocrisy in Pakistan's Cricket Team: Shoaib Akhtar

[Gentle Typhoon]

Targetting Former Captain Inzamam, blamed him for Pakistan team's growing radicalization.

Changes were taking place in the Pakistani dressing room too. Discussing Inzamam ul-Haq's captaincy, Akhtar describes the team's growing radicalization. "To force grown-ups, as thought they were children, to do the namaz or zikr seems a bit strange to me. But some people thought that this was the way to take the team forward.Roza, namaz, tabliz were to be compulsory team events. Threats were used; if you don't pray with the team, you will be thrown out.

Islam has also given us instructions on when and how to pray. When the whole team got together for namaz, the bathroom floor would become wet and f!lthy. It was disgusting. Islam is all about purity, cleanliness. We began praying on air-planes, if you please. I firmly believe in namaz. However, a cricketer's primary duty is to play cricket. If you feel that cricket is less important, leave it - go out into the world and preach. When religion came into our dressing room, I thought, what hypocrisy!"

When asked why his attachment to his family saint and his deep religious belief still made him so uncomfortable with Inzamam's ways, he said: "Hypocrisy makes me uncomfortable. I am against imposing something on anybody - or me."

"It was heartbreaking and painful. I was let down by my own board. Our-then chairman Naseem Ashraf took the news to the media." His soul was hurt - and his body. Blaming Javed Miandad for physical problems, Shoaib writes: "As a coach, he never guided any of us, never cared for anyone. A similar callousness resided within almost all the senior players in our team... Our seniors set the example of going out, having a good time - girls were coming and going out of their rooms. This was the prevailing culture in the Pakistan team. I know people who were drunk and came out to play and now they call me undisciplined - it's unbelievable!

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