The task will not be easy. South Africa are strong and confident. Inzamam and his middle-order deputy Mohammad Yousuf are formidable but under prepared. Pakistan's bowling plan has carried an unfortunate spin-heavy look about it, an approach that misunderstands Pakistan's strengths. In addition, those modern blights of an unsettled opening attack and an unsettling wicket-keeper remain to curse every step of Pakistan's reinvention.

Yet with Inzamam comes hope. His stupendous calm has rescued Pakistan incessantly, even when he has returned from the shadows. And memories of those last stands come rushing to mind. A final-wicket win against Australia in the last decade, another against Bangladesh in this. A valiant knock in South Africa this last winter. Every one of those innings, and many more, with Inzamam fighting against the odds, applying his mind to rescuing a lost cause, a disaster created by his fellow batsmen.

There can be few batsmen who have carried a batting line-up so consistently. For years it has seemed--and approached something close to the truth--that without Inzamam there is no Pakistan innings of substance. Only in the last 18 months has Yousuf raised himself to share his captain's burden.

Throughout all this, Inzamam has remained utterly compelling as a cricketer. Grand heroics combined with inglorious failure. A prized wicket from start to end, oblivious to pressure, situation, pomp or circumstance. Thrilling strokeplay and enthralling running. Unmoving yet unmissable. Fabulous but flabbergasting. Inzamam has won our hearts and gripped our souls.

Over the last year Inzamam has become something of a tragic hero, suffocated by the weight of his country's and his own expectations. What would he or we give for the levity of 1992? But our fates are seldom shaped for a never ending crescendo. Fortune brings happiness and just as easily desolation. Inzamam will have the dusty swirl of Multan as a companion to reflect on a magnificent career that could have been even more glorious.

But for the next five days, all Pakistan fans, and I'm sure many others, will be urging this implacable batting maestro to conjure another great exhibition of subtlety and strength. Inzamam-ul Haq, the taciturn man who revolutionised Pakistan cricket, first with his batting in a World Cup and then with his faith-based captaincy, is bidding goodbye.

I expect a cut and a pull, a forward prod, a clubbing drive. I expect a stroked beard, a trot between overs. I expect a trudge to the crease, a return that is an eternity. I expect a hand raised in farewell, a gush of tears. I expect a guard of honour, a final Bismillah in Pakistan's green. I expect a moment of sadness but also relief. And, for once, Pakistan should not expect and just allow Inzamam to breathe.

Yes we are really gonna miss inzy.. He has been a wonderful servant to pakistan cricket and I wish he could play for another year or so.. but considering the fact that a handful number of players have left the cricket scene with respect and dignity, i feel this is the right decision by inzy. May ALLAH bless him here and after.. and succeed him in his future endeavours. Many wishes for a great player..

Inzy is the greatest batsman of pakistan undoubtly. His most important stat is his contribution in the wins pf pakistan. He has one of the best percentage when he has scored a century and make Pakistan win. Unlike many other he played unselfishly and pulled up some amazing victories as mentioned above. He is a true legend. Much better than the others who have better record but couldn't contribute much to their team.

One of the best batsmen of our generation. No doubt and no ifs and buts about it. Inzamam will be sorely missed. He is an icon and an inspiration for millions of fans. I had hoped he lasted for another year or so but i guess he realized the age difference in the dressing room (which shouldnt be the case)
We will miss him as there can only be one Inzamam.
Good Bye Inzii.. we will miss you

I wouldn't say that this is a fitting end to one of the greatest batsman Pakistan has produced. I wouldn't say that this is the way Inzi wanted to bow out.
Nevertheless, Pakistan and people of Pakistan will never doubt his heart and soul that he put in Pakistan cricket. He was my hero my idol soon after I say his Innings against New Zealand in the 1992 World Cup. He will alway be my hero for what he did for Pakistan since then. I was only 9 when I first say him and will be 24 years old in two weeks and unfortunately would be the last time I see him play for Pakistan. Inzi it was an honor just to witness the skill and calm you displayed on the crease either when you scored a hundred or a naught.

It was pleasure watching yah. Good luck for the future

Yes Kamran you are right "Inzamam has won our hearts and gripped our souls". He deserves everything coz he has given his everything to the cricket and his country. It is hard to find the player of his caliber. He was just a genius and I still believe he can produce lots of match winning knocks like in past. He has nothing to prove again. Everyone has to retire but donno why I always love to see him playing and wish the same even it is not possible.........I feel so sad when I thind I cant see him playing again. We all shall miss him. Therefore, I m not gonna miss you Inzi either you bat or field in slip....I just want to see you in the gorund nd do well.... All the best wishessssssssssssss..........

All the best to Inzamam ul Haq. He was a true legend for Pakistan cricket,a great match winning performer and a great server for his nation's cricket. Pakistan will surely miss his presence.

Manhal Ali
Sylhet, Bangladesh

very thoughtful article, differences aside,perhaps inzi after all was the greatest batsman pakistan ever had. selfless individual who gave more than 100% while batting, gracias inzi, gracias indeed!

Inzy will stand out in history and Indian public memory for two reasons, both equally compelling. First, his unbelievable talent (almost genius) with the bat in high-pressure situations. The situation in which he introduced himself to the world was almost a schoolboy's dream-i was a shoolboy then. It was THE game vs NZ in the '92 WC , and all of us were rooting for NZ i.e. for a Pak defeat. It seemed all over bar the shouting, the topline batsmen gone and an asking rate of 8. What happened then is history. Gradually, all of us were rooting for Inzy's success, such was his brilliance. There have been many such instances ever since. The 2nd reason for which Inzy will stand out is more India-specific. When he led Pak against India, he did it on the spirit of the game, not as if the match was a proxy-war, which was a refreshing change from the eighties and nineties. That is perhaps his more important contribution to the game. He layed to rest the lie that Indo-Pak cricket runs on aggro. Thanks, Inzy, for all the memories.

Inzy has served Pakistani cricket admirably. His winning batting knocks in the 1992 World Cup's semi-final and final strongly suggested that Pakistan had found a true heir of Javed Miandad; comparison with the legent, Miandad, is no small honour to Inzy. Over the years, Inzy proved himself worthy of this honour. He was ready to give crowning touch to his captaincy and do what only Imran had done as a captain. The team was not favourite to win world cup but it had a decent chance but what transpired in the world cup 2007 was the tragic blow to Inzy's cricket reputation. A captain who commanded respect with his calm and fatherly style became a lazy and failed captain. Indeed he is a tragic hero but during and after Lahore test, I am sure people will remember his wonderful batting and his successful captaincy before Oval fiasco. The world cup 2007 made him a tragic hero but after Lahore farewell he will be remembered as a legend.

Inzamam is the greatest pakistani batsmen and one of the best in the world. A true batsman is the one who can win matches for the team and not jus play for personal records and glory. Inzaman is one such batsman who has won many matches for Pakistan. Even the greatest batsmen have succumbed while playing under pressure but Inzamam always thrives under pressure, winning matches for Pakistan in difficult situations. All the best to the best player of fast bowling.

I would not be as sad to see him if we had a replacement for him. All the younster combined that represented pakistan in the first test do not possess half of his batting talent. It is indeed going to be tough for Pakistan to play test cricket and win without him. Well played Inzi and good luck.

A tribute to the humble giant - a tragic hero - who deserves a nice send off.

It was the summer of 92 in Australia, cricket fans all over the world were gripped in the fever of the world cup mania. It was also the advent of the satellite dishes and live transmission that made people glued to their TV sets to see live matches. Imran Khan's tigers were injured and cornered in the early stages of the tournament, the early losses were enough to get scorn from the nation to write them off from the tournament no one expected any miracle or how they will fare in the tournament but, they emerged as Champions, even without their two inform key players, Waqar Younus and Saeed Anwar. But the two players who made it possible were, Wasim Akram and Inzamam ul Haq.

Even after winning the final round match against the unbeatable Kiwis on their home ground, they had to wait for the result of another round match between Australia and West Indies to qualify for the semi-finals. Perhaps that is the only time in the history of Pakistan's cricket that not only the whole team but, the entire Pakistani nation was behind Australia for a win. And as hosts they did not disappoint Pakistan. After the world cup some Pakistani supporters were seen wearing T-shirts with this message on the front: "Pakistan World Champions" and on the back it was written:" Thank You Australia."

It was the first semi-final between Pakistan and New Zealand saw the awakening of a humble giant, Inzamam ul haq, he came into the arena like a saviour, no one knew who he was and where he came from? He started playing shots in all corners of the park as if he has been playing international cricket all his life and he scored 60 in 37 balls alongside the most experienced Pakistani player Javed Miandad, who scored 57 n.o. and he kept guiding Inzi and later Moin Khan all the way to the end to cruise a comfortable win in the penultimate over.

Once again in the final, Inzamam played a crucial innings by scoring a brisk 42 to build up the momentum that was initiated by Imran and Miandad. After winning the world cup, Imran Khan announced his retirement, but even today he proudly boasts about discovering Inzamam's raw talent and rates him above Tendulkar. I concur that view because whenever Inzi scored big, Pakistan has won whereas, Tendulkar's efforts have gone in vain most of the times. Inzi since the last 16 odd years has seen his ups and downs owing to his lethargic attitude and defensive captaincy but, as a batsman he is one of the greatest in the history of cricket in both forms of the game.

Its time for us to bid him a farewell for now, and forever. So, let all of us bid him a true farewell forever - sooner than we complain again, for our complaint is too well grounded to be uttered for no reason. I do not wish to express my sentiments in lyrics because, mai shayer tou nahee, magar, I would love to quote Keats here: "If poetry comes not as naturally as the leaves to a tree, it had better not come at all." Anyways, I wish to bid a real farewell to the humble giant, with a honest farewell message for him to be content and be happy all through his life. Contentment or, Itminaan ul huq and Mutma'een ul haq are his other names.

He is a unique batsman who has all the time in the world to play his shots, I've never seen anyone playing the shots as late as Inzamam, whether it is a pull shot or a cut shot he always plays it to perfection. A few years ago in India, Ahmadabad, the four on the last ball of Tendulkar was a classic late cut from the maestro, it turned the tables against India, after that defeat India never recovered in that series. After that it was Kanpur catastrophe and Delhi debacle, it was a series which India started winning 2-0 went down 4-2. The turning point was Inzi's last ball four.

We saw him walking instead of running for singles, we saw him getting run-out on several occasions, we saw him getting out falling on the wickets and we saw him twice getting out in a funny way for obstructing the ball. We saw him loosing his cool and climbing into the crowd brandishing his bat towards a spectator who reportedly called him "Aloo" or potato but, it was more than that, he abused him personally for no reason and kept on doing it for hours using a mega-phone.

We saw him leaving the field in tears when Bob Woolmer had died, now we are going to see him one last time at Lahore. We always saw him thanking Allah first, before his interesting speeches. He had a great sense of humour. I reckon when he was out on a full toss from Dave Mohammad in the last world cup, told Ramiz Raja (who was doing the pitch report) he said: "Ramiz, don't forget to mention that this pitch helps the bowlers who bowl a full toss." How can anyone forget his love for nihari and his motto: "Eat, Sleep & Gym."

Now, I wish to bid farewell to the hero of the summer of 92 who fought bravely and won so many matches for the country, a hero when he scored a 100 brought more laurels to the country than any of his compatriots, it made each one of us proud. I know it is very easy to criticize and it is very hard and sometimes impossible to say all the nice things we think and feel about them, even to our truest friend. But, we still try and do our best, especially when it matters most to them. And when we say what we say, we must remember to be who we are, and say what we feel. Because, those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind. It is the sentiments and the feelings that matter. Even though one may write a book on Huq, laikin:

Huq tou youn hai kay huq adaa na huvaa
Such tou youn hai kay Inzamam ul Huq qoam say kabhee juda na huvaa

The truth of the matter is, truth did not matter, and
The truth is, Inzamam ul Haq never bid farewell to the nation.

Inzy was best Batsman of modern era along with Lara. Tendulkar is not even close as Inzy Won World cup and scored 17 centuries that resulted in Pakistan's win. Fully Agree with Kamran and It time to Cherish a glorious cricketer who always stood by whatever he did!

Nice article, Kamran. I think Inzamam's tragedy lies in the fact that he could have been the greatest ever batsman if he was a better runner. He has won a World Cup, won more ODI's and Tests than Tendulkar: therefore, his tragedy does not lie in the fact that he hasn't achieved anything, but that he has not done 100% justice to his immense talents.

Lets hope he gets 2 hundreds and walks out of the game with his head held high.

One last connection to the 92 world cup win. I've grown up watching wasim, inzimam, moin khan, waqar, saeed anwar, aamir sohail, and then shoaib akhtar, abdul razzaq, and afridi...

its sort of sad to see they are all gone pretty much.. afridi aside.. who is not himself anymore anyways..

I still remember the day when my dad and his friends were talking about this new guy inzimam who made pakistan win the semi final in 92.

Life passes most people by while they are making grand plans for it..

and with this.. I still support pakistan.. but nothing else is the same.. we have passed an era

The viewing public in India (and everywhere else) generally indulges in nostalgic admiration - admitting the greatness of an opposition player when he has retired. Inzamam belongs to a rare breed - a player loved and admired in India during his playing days.

Few players can look so elegant with such economy of movement. Understatement was Inzamam all over - especially in the latter part of his career. Even when he was hitting the ball all over the park, it was with almost an apologetic air.

Despite being an anachronism in modern day cricket Inzamam was born to bat. It will be strange watching a Pakistan team without Inzamam - let's hope his swansong will be a melodious one.

Inzimam was perfect gentleman and dedicated soul for Pakistan. Time and again he resued Pakistan from desperate situation. He started his career in a beligerant fashion and later on settled down as the mainstay of Pakistan batting. This unselfish personality could have scored more runs and more centuries if only he batted at higher order .He has a sound technique. In the brittle Pakistani batting line up he should have batted at number three because of his superior technique against fast bowling and ability to build long innings. Imran used to rate him as abetter batsman to fast bowling than even great Sachin. He will have his swansong .Couls have played at least two more year. But you never know PCB. They may maltreat him . It is always better to go down as hero than to get shabby treatment. World cricket will loose a master of his craft.

Nice piece Kamraan. If there was one international batsman who has not got the recognition he deserves it has to be Inzi. His record is awesome to say the least. One would like to brush of a mere 8000+ runs as a minor acheivement as compared to the five figure runs rattled off by the Gavaskars and the Borders to the Laras and the Tendulkars. But at times its not the quantity of runs scored that should be a measure of the greatness and abilities of a batsman else where would even the great Don measure up?
Its but natural to compare Inzi to another post 70s Pak great like Javed Minandad. But here, we have to think a while and realise that Javed had the company of other stalwarts like the irrepressible Zaheer Abbas , Majid Khan, Mudassar Nazar etc to soften the opposition for Javed to run riot. On the other hand Inzi has single handedly at most times taken the Paki batting on his ample shoulders. Scoring runs is one thing and scoring it when the team needs it the most is crictical. The fact that 17 of the 25 hundreds that Inzi has managed in his long and illustrious career have resulted in a victory for his country. No greater indicator needs to be put forward for his contribution to cause of Pakistani cricket.
A lot of hullabaloo is raised about his running between the wickets or the lack of it. But hey every batsman has a chink in his armour. Some cant play the moving ball on the off stump , some cant read the wrong 'un from the hands of a leggie so by the same token Inzi could not run between the wickets as well as he would have liked. Does that make him less of a great? Not in my opinion . If a guy can knock the ball around the park in all conditions and across all continents this small folly is most easily forgiven.
However , if there is one area where Inzi fell short then without doubt it has to be his leadership. As has been proved time and again the best of players need not make the best man managers (captains) .He , am sure could have contributed his mite as a batsman and elder statesman that much more had he not been saddled with the teams leadership . But , as in all Asian cricket teams it is assumed that the best player is the one to be nominated to the hot seat. How wrong this has proved is amply visible when u looks at Inzi , Sachin etc.
Its heartening news that this modern day great ...and i mean 'Great' (because this word has been so badly abused by the media that some one day wonders have got this tag) ... is getting a chance to wear the Green cap one last time to bid adieu in the perfect manner a sportsman of his calibre should . It would have been tragic had he walked into the sunset with out a final hurrah . Knowing Inzi and his past , it wont be a huge gamble to put a few rupees on a wager that Inzi will finish his career with a 100. One sincerely hopes that this dream finish comes true .... no better way to cap a golden era with a 100 and a Pak win to sqaure the series. Play it again Inzi ... one last time !!!

After Imran Khan, Inzamam was by far the best Captain Pakistan has had. I hope he scores 2 centuries in his last game, taking Pakistan to a much needed win. Pakistan should play another pacer with Gul and Asif.

The best moment of his carrier was at the start of his carrier. In a way it is tragic. Still the gentleman desrves credit for his service and for standing up to defend the country's honour. thankyou man.

Beautifully written, finally an article that comes close to delving in the persona of the phenomenon that is Inzamam. The first memory of cricket , even before i could spell cricket, was of Inzamam coming to the crease and pulling his first ball for a four in a test-match in the carribean in early 90's. Since then i Have learnt as much about cricket as any non-cricketer could ever learn. Inzamam does have faults in his game, but if ever "romantic lazy elegance" was a word in sport it would be for him. A thorough gentleman if ever cricket had one. you only spoke of a few of his innings, but there are more countless more. you may talk of the lara's and the sachin's and the ponting's but to those who understand cricket know that stats are numbers without a story. To speak of Izamam in terms of numbers is a dis-service, you have to see him play to know what real, unadulterated and raw class is about. IF Consistent Performance under Pressure is a benchmark for greatness, Inzamam surely does take the cake. I take an extremely strong exception to the praise of the PCB. They are ending his career, on merit he will make the pakistan test team anyday. He has a lot more to offer as he says, and nobody can dispute that. He has been given JUST one lousy test-match to leave his mark, in a losing series , with massive pressure on the batting line-up. The pitch has to be result-oriented so it would not be a batting paradise. If anything , knowing Inzi this WILL make him perform in a perverse way. Its difficult to explain but when everything is against him, you can count on seeing the best of Inzamam.
i regret that i did not see Bradman playing , if records are anything to go by , It would have made a challenging comparison to who the best batsman in cricket would be.
IF he makes a huge score I daresay anybody could keep him out ( I appeal to the president to intervene , even though I don't like him) , but if he does retire , and for his farewell i say this with a knot in my throat. Men are taught not to shed tears or cry, but I am sure Inzamam WILL and SO WILL I.

Thanks inzi! I put you and javed on a par i cannot seperate the two when judging who the best batsman is in pakistan history!
However I must make a very important point here that with Inzamam retiring the Legacy of Imran Khan also ends....He picked up Inzi,Waqar, Wasim, Aqib, Mushy, Saeed the list goes on.. these players mentioned were class, world class due to the scouting eye of Imran......I grew up watching these players and they have left the arena one by one but this one hurts the most cos as I have said before with the exception of Imran khan Inzi was the best.
Salaam to you Inzi you gave us a lot of good memories..You are leaving a huge hole in our mediocre batting line up!

I sincerely believe that Inzamam-ul-Haq is the finest batsman of his era in world cricket without being biased, as I m not a Pakistani nor am I a supported of the team. He might not have scored as many hundreds as sachin tendulkar but did sachin produce more match winning innings than Inzi? Inzi might not have a breath taking poise to his style compared to Brian Charles Lara, but does Lara’s best inning portray selfless desire to put the team before personal record? These are all very good players, the best to be precise, but I think Inzamam is an extra mile ahead of the “best rated batsmen’s” in the world simply because he won more matches for his team, while the others scored more runs than the rest of the bunch. Inzi was never a man of stats, that’s why he is not rated next to the greats like Sachin and Lara, but due to his undeniable talent he is not very far away even on stats! My question is simple does scoring more centuries matters more than winning more matches for the team? And if stats is more important then I guess Inzi is probably just ‘one of the finest batsman’ of this era but if match winning is equally important if not more than I think it would be safe to rate him as the best of the era as he is well and truly miles ahead of both Sachin and Lara in those term. Inzamam not only had the flare but also the determination and calmness backed by enormous talent to play the game. He may not have been the best leader to have come through the Pakistani ranks but certainly the best batsman if not the best cricketer among the men in green.
With Inzamam, ends Pakistan’s era of exhilarating and inspired cricket. As they seem to be aiming for a new approach. What lied ahead no one can predict, but a certain aspect would be missed greatly, and no one but Inzi can ever fill that special place. It is difficult to say bye to Inzi after all these years of exiting and smart cricket from this living legend but I console myself that I still might be able to catch some of his actions through the icl. Never the less he surely would be missed.

The first cricket game that i watched was the 92 world cup semi final and from that day on inzi has been my favorite player.There are so many moments to remember but i think 20000 international runs bear testimony to inzi being Pakistan's best batsman ever.I know there is javed miandad but inzi might just nudge ahead of him due to 17 of his 25 test centuries coming in winning causes.This is not the time for comparisons though it is time to revere and praise, as Rameez put it, Pakistan's best batting talent.Inzi was Pakistan's last link to a world cup win and the mainstay of the batting line for over 15 years but he was so much more.The lazy attitude on the wicket, the running between the wickets and the interviews after matches are all things that will stay in memory of almost all pakistanis and i think most of the cricket world.Its so sad to see inzi leave but i hope he plays one last big innings for Pakistan.it will be hard to see him leave the field for the last time at a place where it all started in 1991.We will all miss the great inzi.All good things come to an end but inzi has left a legacy that will stay with us forever.

Inzamam-ul-haq...what a player and what a character he had been for Pakistan over a last decade..Who knows if he had not played like he did in the semi final against new-zealand in 1992 world cup,Pakistan can ever grab that prestigious trophy,which every pakistani will and had cherished for almost his whole life.Inzi, the big man has chosen the right time and the right way to leave the game,Thanx to Mr,Nasim for giving him the oppurtunity and breaking the tradition of humiliating the ending days of our great heroes.Lets just leave all the crcitiscm aside and see this great man playing at his final game.Take a bow Inzi.U have been a great player and we cant just thank u for what u have done for Pakistani Cricket.but still I wanna say that and I think we all cricket lovers should...Thanx Inzi....

It's sad to see Inzy's exit from test cricket.
After Brian Lara it is now Inzy's turn to suffer a forced exit from test cricket despite being able to carry on for another year or two.
Inzy has had an amazing career. His value to the side can be gaged by the fact that so many of his test centuries resulted in a win for Pakistan.
As a batsman he was a treat to watch. His timing was impeccable and he seemed to have so much time to play his strokes. He was a gentleman cricketer respected by team mates and opponents alike.
Pakistan will definitely miss his solid batting and ability to rescue the team time and again.
I wish Inzy the best of luck in his post retirement life. And I thank him for providing us with a chance to watch his wonderful batting.

beautifully written.. this is your best work i've written so far

I cried as i read this post! We'll miss you inzi! pakistan cricket will never be the same without you.

Great post Mr Abbasi. Inzi is a legend and I am sure all his fans are praying for his success.

Lets not talk about Inzi's failures today. Lets just sit and admire one of the greatest heroes this sport has ever seen.

Ditto to Mr.Abbasi. No one deserves a more fond farewell than our beloved Inzy. Its difficult to grasp the fact that we will not witness this sublime lovable maestro any more. We will miss the lazy elegance, the lazier strut to the middle and for once we should learn to acknowledge the supreme artistry which made so much more of the man than the stupid quips about his running between the wickets.

All great things must come to an end.
It is a sad day when he anounced his retirement but we should be grateful to this genial pakistani for making this game exciting, enjoyable through his masterful strokeplay.He made batting look so easy and effortless. He will be missed.

Well said Kamran. Inzamam represented an era of Pakistani cricket-giants, who presented us all with some genuine talents honoring their smallest of Pakistani towns. Perhaps the equivocal of the English counties. He could have very well achieved even higher cricketing grounds, if he would have gravitated towards the more needed cunning sportsmanship spirit necessary in the modern game to finish first. As opposed to his sublime and modest approach, which he himself represented. Or, perhaps, that is a virtue not worth the bargain. Nevertheless, he had booked himself the spot of another immortal in the paki cricket annals. At the moment as mediocre as it may sound. But, I believe that he also represents the beginning of another era for Pakistan. An era, where the fans are beginning to understand that players are for keeps, faltered or unsuccessful. Support, spectatorship and the simple love of this great game comes before any other covenant. And,idols must not be broken faster than they are created. Especial thanks to Ramiz Raja for his resounding tributary to Inzy on cricinfo. Best of luck Inzy, and do not be an absentee ballot, but stay involved in the process of improving the Paki cricket team. You have much to offer and much to learn, still. For great men always carry-on their missions, especially, when they have nothing to gain from it (Pres. Jimmie Carter). We will miss ya.

Sad moment for cricket.
Inzamam Ul Haq, the great batsman and the pride of Pakistan has decided to retire from the test cricket.
In my opinion it is the disappointing behavior of the PCB which make him decide to retire otherwise he could have played for Pakistan for at least a couple of more years.
But it is really nice to see that PCB has allowed him to play his last fare well test match in honor of what he has done for the country, a new and positive trend for Pakistan cricket.
Thanks to the PCB!

Sohail Qureshi

Kitchener ON, Canada

Completely agreeing with writer, we should forget that how he performed in last world cup and remember that how many times he was Pakistan’s team Hero and performed match winning performance, we’ll definitely miss him.

He is a truly unsung hero...He may not be a good captain or a natural leader but as a batsman he was truly superb and great.One of the best when it comes to calmness and remaining cool under pressure.
He deserves a great farewell and we all Pakistanis will support him,He is a great treasure for Pakistan Cricket-Hatts off to Him,Thank You GR8 INZI We will surely miss ur giant presence of urs on the field.BestLuck for your future.

Fare Thee Well oh big man. The cricket world will remember you for all of your achivements, which start with that crucial innings in 1992 World Cup Semi Final. Once more thank you for everything you provide for the cricket world

What can I say about Inzi ,Kamran bhai you have describe him beautifully in your words and as a Pakistani fan I just would like to thanks Inzi for last 17 years of service to Pakistan cricket.Thank you for 1992 world cup and thanks for all your those innings which you played for Pakistan and won us matches .I am sure we all Pakistani fan will miss you and we are not going to find the player like you .I wish you Good Luck for your future.

Why is it that we Pakistanis have to wait till either a man retires, or is on the verge of it, or dead, before we can manage to appreciate his achievements and talent?
Inzi has been under scathing criticism for being a dictator, taliban, vegetable and a has-been for about year now by the same lot who will singing hymns for him in the coming days. We did the same with Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and most other legends of cricket. The less said about the vitrolic (and injust) pakistani press assault on Bob Woolmer the better.
Wouldnt it have been better to give them support in their careers while they needed it?
Can the turncoats in the press please mature already?

Anyway.. to Inzi.. best of luck. Cricket will be poorer without his talents and resoluteness. Probably the best batting talent this country ever produced.

whatever opinion anybody has about the retirement of inzi, i will always say inzi has been forced to retire form test cricket. He has enough cricket left in him, no doubt about it. But, one must give credit to Mr. Naism Ahsraf as for the first time one of our national heroes will get that respect and farewell.
I agree with you Mr. Kamran mostly but you should mention that he has been forced to retire. That is irony and one of the sadest moment of my life as big man goes.
i want to write, write and wirte about inzi the "legend" but there is short of time and
space.
i am sure inzi will end is career in high note, a "century" is on the cards. :) Inshallah
WISH YOU VERY VERY BEST GREAT INZI

Having said what I had to say about Inzamam in my previous post, I would like to say something about Malik's captaincy. If Malik wants to show that he is aspired by Inzamam, he should demonstrate that in his batting skills but, not in emulating Inzi's captaincy. Inzamam may have bagged a few good victories during his tenure as a captain and, he may also have gelled the young team very well with his fatherly and "faith-based" approach. But, in general Inzamam's tactics as a captain were very defensive. He wasn't an aggressive captain like Imran Khan or Majid Khan. It wasn't just about field placement or bowling changes, but Inzi's team selection and batting order were always very orthodox, conservative and defensive.

After having experienced a defeat in the first test at Karachi, Malik should have been a little more aggressive in his team selection. IMO, he should have asked the selectors to give his VC Butt some rest and himself taken the initiative to open the innings along with Kamran Akmal to fill that slot. And, that would have opened another slot for a fast bowler in the team. Playing against a team like SA with only two seamers and relying on two spinners is asking too much. With such poor fielding they cannot take 20 wickets. I will be very pleased to be proved wrong.

With Inzi, MOYO back in the team, the middle order at least on paper is very strong, Malik has opened for Pakistan on many occasions and he has accepted to bat at any position in the past, simply to be a part of the playing XI. Now, that he is the captain, he should have been bold enough to say, I am taking this initiative and I will open the innings and I will lead from the front. He should have insisted that we need one more fast bowler in the team either Rao or Tanvir. Shame that both are now sitting on the sidelines.I would have opted for Tanvir because, he is a left arm bowler and not to mention his deceptive wrong foot action that would have taken the South Africans by surprise as they have not faced him yet. Besides, he can bat a bit as well.

Abdul Rahman has taken eight wickets on his test debut. For me, his first innings performance was very ordinary. Apart from the wicket of Boucher, all other three wickets he took were of the tail-enders. He bowled better in the second innings and on that basis I would like to retain him in the second test. However, I rate Kaneria as a better bowler than Abdul Rahman, Kaneria was unlucky, had he taken that wicket of Kallis he may have bowled with more aggression. It does happen to bowlers that when a catch is dropped and that too, of a world class batsman then they get disappointed and exactly the reverse happens when the opportunity is taken.

When Graeme Smith said: "Inzamam's swan-song could distract Malik" he didn't mean that Inzamam would be patronizing him or imposing on-field decisions over him, but it was something finer and beyond the obvious, it was more like the subliminal message to the subconscious mind, an approach that is below the threshold of conscious perception. Malik took it for granted that the team would be complete with the induction of the two big guns. Malik lost his ability to see the overall strength of the team. And being the captain he is also using his prerogative to bat at a position which he thinks suits him best. But, that is not the team's requirement at the moment. The team needs an extra fast bowler and I wonder how he cannot see that? Sometimes you are blinded by the very obvious and thats what is happening to Malik. I suggest he should play chess and he should also take lessons on strategy and man-management and of course, the English language lessons which he so badly needs now.

It has been a pleasure to have witnessed Inzamam's career. Was there for his first match back in '91 against WI at Qaddafi stadium.

Did not fulfill his promise but the fact that he still ended with averages of 50 and close to 40 in tests and odi's respectively speaks volumes of his immense talent.

To me the best Pakistani batsman and slip fielder ever.

spot on article. Inzmamam is right up there with the greats and will be sorely missed. In times of desperation his temperament was unrivaled and his consistency has time and time again contributed to many of Pakistan's successes. Inzi, we salute you.

"This last year was meant to be the crowning glory of the way of Inzamam, cricket and religion united in a World Cup triumph." - The way each time cricket is linked to religious feelings is hurting. The passion and enthusiasm dies the moment we read this type of narration. Inzamam is certainley a great player and surely the sport as well as pakistan will miss this cricketing genius. Wish the team and himself make it a glorious exit.

Nice article Kamran.

Great words for a great batsman.

We will surely miss him and would be looking to create another Inziman in the future.

Good luck to Inzi on his final match.

Alvidah Inzi, Alvidah. I don't really have words to say goodbyes to a man who will be remembered as one of the greatest pakistan has ever produced.The space created by his exit will never be filled by anyone.No one will ever be as good as him to fill his shoes. I wish Inzi the best of luck for his future and i hope that he can be involved with pakistan cricket somehow. I heard the he wants to build an cricket academy for youngsters.Wish him all the best for that too..
and once again, Alvidah Inzi, Alvidah.

we will miss inzi bhai...the greatness of a batsman is defined by the time he has to play his shot - and inzi had all the time in the world to play his shots - whether a defensive shot of a savage pull.

The first time I saw Inzamam, he scared me...BIG TIME! And then Jonty ran him out. It didn't help South Africa anyway. Hmmm I digress... The next time I saw him was Pakistan's first tour to SA p.a (post apartheid). When Inzi came on to bat, there was this banner held by someone in the crowd: " Ul-haq Ul-haq, hier kom GROOT xxx". (of course, in the place of the stars, there should be a 3-letter Afrikaans word (rhyming with Haq)which has the same meaning as a well-used 4-letter word in English, beginning with "s") I digress again...

I believe that is how we, as South Africans have always viewed the big guy. Your troubles wont be over until you see the back of him...I still have a collection of cards from that series though. Man, Inzi looked svelte! And sexy too. I remember a glossy magazine article written during that tour. Young girls in itsy bitsy teenie weenie bikini's hanging around Inzi, Waqar, Aqib Javed, Aamir Sohail and Ata-ur Rehman. Screaming and shouting at them for an autograph...anywhere on their bodies. LOL! Not the same Inzi today though.

Yeah, brings back some memories...But now I have to get used to a Pakistan side WITHOUT him. And it feels a little funny. I mean, he is one of those players who you want to see playing forever and ever and ever...Although you KNOW its just not possible; but you still wish they could. I cannot believe this is the last I am going to see of Inzi. Somehow, it seems unnatural. Am I weird for saying that?

As long as I enjoy and love the game of cricket, Inzi will be one of those players who deserve a special place in my memories. Inzi, I will always see you "waving from the backroads by the rivers of my memory...Ever smiling, ever Gentle on my Mind." (courtesy John Hartford)

Inzamam-ul-Haq is the real hero of pakistan sports. He never played for his recored he always played for the country. So many times he alone move the team on the winning track . if you compare him With S.Tendulkar you will find that he is bigger match winning playeer. He scored more than 11000 runs and his batting order was middle order. World Cup 2007 now is history we should leave the sad day but Inzi bahi has given so many time happiest movement to the nation & tour of India in 2005 was brillant (with yougster)

Thnx Inzzi

Inzamam ul Haq is a legandry player but I think he should not retire at this moment, Or if anybody wants him to retire they should wait until India series as he is the main player of Pakistan and specially for that tough series. I kindly ask him to think once again or if there is anybody in the PCB who is loyal to Pakustan must do something worth appreciating to make inzamam play for some more time or atleast till upcoming india series.

Inzimam's career is very unique and settled in many ways he was a batsman of real class pakistan had among the very few and was very much evergreen.
His performance as a captian is also full of stars.
Just one major miss in world cup seems to be the real failure at large as if he batted all, bowled all and fielded all.
The only thing that the PCB, critics,media reps of stereo types like PJ Mir could not stand the faith based-cricket team with high moral values and ethics in most of them.
We are seeing this religious tempo aginst them as if we are not Muslims from Pakistan and Cricket and Islam do not go together. I have a piece of advice for all those who critise Islam to live out of the domain of All Subhan Allah where they will not be answerable to HIM ! (let me if u find one including PCB and all those who have seculiar mind.
The "Cricket Bahar" from from Pcb and the Chief Patron had already set a tone of "Curse from Allah". Which has brought the worst national shamfull result in the world cup plus the most painful situation(it portrayed like criminals all over the world) after the death of Bob Woolmer.
If we set a pattern like this we as a whole nation will be accursed by Allmighty Allah, there fore let us not dare to be seculiar as others do!

Last but not the least PCB must realize they must do need to balance the team with experienced players like Inzi, Yousuf, younus, Shahid and Abdul Razzak for test matches otherwise we are about five years away for any worth out of the Test Cricket.
Dressing room age difference is just a balogny for face saving and excuses by PCB!

Yes, indeed Inzamam will be missed dearly as one of the most memorable batsmen in criket world history. He does appear to have more cricket left in him. He should have been encouraged and allowed to play more - especially in the Test Match form of the game - if not as a captain. It is usually the age factor which produces slowness and hence the need for retirement. However, Test Cricket should suit more of such 'elderly' cricketers as it is a different ball-game altogether when compared to the ODI or T20. These three are likened to different forms of slow and fast transport - a bus, a car and a motor-bike respectively. Test cricket is slow and not as demanding as the ODI or T20 where allround abilities figure more and being quick and agile on the field count high. As there is so much cricketing talent these days - seen by the mere number of existing and emerging players, it would do far better to have a separate playing outit (team) for the three different forms of the game. Older players could be retained for Test match cricket as their physical abilities would suit more here. This way we could be fairer and do greater justice to so much otherwise unutilized talent. Likewise, captaincy need not be expected or thrust upon one single man. We could have separate captains for the 3 different ball-games and this would reduce the pressure of expecting too much from one single man. This way there is lesser competition and most players are given a chance to show and play their full potential. More importantly, we do not end up discarding our heroes like Inzamam (somewhat prematurely) and would give full credit to the older cricketers as well. Thanks, and many good wishes to Inzamam, Mr Kamran Abbasi and all genuine cricket-loving fans!

It is definitely the end of an era and not just for pakistani cricket but for cricket in general. I remember the incident in Toronto i also remember the comments that he moves like a cruise liner to him being a safe pair of hands in the slips. maybe the faults are more media made. not that man is without fault everyman has hsi share. but inzamam has been a great player. who can forget hsi inngs at multan or his innings in the semifinal as a young gun...a great player...

Inzi has been an ambassador for Pakistan cricket for well over a decade now and what an ambassador to have! I've got huge amount of respect for this man not just for his cricketing abilities but for him being a real gentleman. In his Int'l cricket career I've never seen him starting off any aggressive conversation with anyone.
As a batsman what a batsman he's been for Pakistan both in ODIs and in tests.
All I could say is Inzi we'll miss you from the very bottoms of our heart for years or I should say for decades to come. You'll always be remembered as one of the best Pakistan bats ever.
I wish you all the best in your life after cricket .

A wonderful tribute to a great Pakistani. What a cricketer and what a batsman, he was huge and great in every sense of the meanings. God bless you Inzi

Inzamam is the greatest Batsman Pakistan has ever produced but he is unlucky one too. Given out LBW when he was not out happened, often then not.

I have been a fan of Inzamam ever since he came out to bat in his first oneday international against West Indies and hit 2 consectetive Boundaries of Malcom Marshall in his first one day International. Walking on the field without a helmet, without fear, without thinking of consequences great example of excellent Batsmen. Credit should be given to Imran Khan for picking him up from no where. First Hundred in Test match was a match saving innings against West Indies in Antigua in 1993. When he started off he was playing in shadow of Javed Miandad, Salim Malik and others. But as soon as he was given responsibilities he excelled in his Batting. The story goes on and on, I could write a book on him but I just want to say that he will be definitely be missed and Pakistan team will take lot of time to recover from this lose of Great Batsman.
Good Bye Inzamam, but I think we are going to see another twist in his career.

Excellent articulation of emotions and tribute, Kamram.
Inzi was the best batting talent Pakistan ever produced without a doubt. Everyone here is paying tribute to his skills and presence on the cricket field. Our notices can not escape his patriotism. No matter what the world has to say about him the Pakistani nation should be proud of him for what he did at the Oval to save his team's and his nation's reputation.

We love you, Inzi. You were my favourite player always. You are a genuine match winner! I have grown up watching you play and I am very very proud of you indeed!

Hero's aren't born everyday and in this match we bid farewell to probably the best ever that Pakistan produced. Yes I'd have liked to see a similar exit in ODI's but then that's cricket -right. Inzi, these words are for you. For the last 15+ years, you have made every Pakistani proud whenever you came to the crease ( a feeling that we are not very fimilar of). You made us laugh with your comical running and
you made us cry with unlikely victories over the years. When we fell, you brought us up. There are no words to describe what you meant to Pakistan cricket except that all Pakistan salutes you. You made us proud Inzi, best of luck with the future.

The best batsman produced by Pakistan will be missed. Thanks for wonderful memories. All the very best.

Inzi has been a great servant to pakistan cricket. It gladens me that we are giving him a send off he deserves. Good Bye Inzi..

I agree with the blog and wish Inzi the best for the next stage in his life.

He was a fine batsmen who was a joy to watch when on song. To be fair I think that he would rank below the very best batsmen of his era due to his below average record against Australia (esp in Australia) compared to others such as Lara and Dravid who have risen to the occasion against the best in the business (similarly S Waugh, Gooch and Border saved their best for the best). Inzi's captaincy was also ordinary and uninspiring on occasions (like a few of the other great batsmen of his generation outside of Waugh). The players who have a fine record and who have done well against the best teams in the world deserve top billing.

As for where he sits in the order of Pakistani batsmen, it is difficult for me to say as I am not from Pakistan. Like Miandad, Inzi has struggled against the best team in the World (Miandad had a poor record against the West Indies) but otherwise they have been fine players. Miandad probably gets the nod as the standard of bowling was generally higher across the board in Miandad's era. Personally I enjoyed Saeed Anwar and I think that he was a very underrated player.

Like many others my great memories of Inzy will be of his super efforts in the '92 World Cup and of his genial nature.

Inzy is the consistent player of cricket world.So he is remained ever and forever in all the minds of cricket lovers around the globe.

Come on guys please don't use the past tense in describing or giving a tribute to Inzamam, don't say he was a great batsman. He isa great batsman, he is alive and he has to play this match before he retires from test cricket. And that will not be the end, we might still be seeing him playing here and there.

Elle its a nice piece on Inzi, a stroll down your memory lane, especially with that "Gentle On My Mind." nostalgia, mais et tu - burying poor Inzi alive by quoting one from the "funeral tunes" of John Hartford. :-) If Inzi had any interest in western music, after reading this he would have been singing "Please Don't Bury Me" by John Prine. And btw, were you in that queue, shouting at them for an autograph? Not the same Elle today though. :-)

ubaid I owe u a thanks for the previous post of yours in the previous thread. But, I must admit that in this thread you have made Inzamam look like a bicycle by talking about his 'carrier'. Actually his bicycle's carrier may have been small but his cricket career is great. And, its not just the beginning part of it, but he has been consistent through out his career, except for a few lean patches here and there, which is normal in every person's career.

Be it Inzi, Lara or Tendulkar they've all been through this lean patch once in a while. And, look at the way Tendulkar struggled in the last three matches and even today to get runs. He opened the innings with Ganguly and after 33 overs he had scored only 48 runs, a strike rate of 53 then, finally he got out at 79 and then it was Dhoni and Uthapa who propelled the score at a phenomenal rate and giving India a reasonable total to defend but not really good enough to win. At least Inzi and Lara both announced their retirements on time and gracefully retired (and retiring) and only God Tendulkar knows how long he will play at the expense of the youngsters. There must be many more Uthappa's and Gambhir's waiting in the wings.

I am not a Pakistani, but i would like to add that the retirement of Inzamam Ul Haq should be celebrated for his achievements throughout his career rather then his loss from cricket. I have been fortunate enough to meet the man, and what got me was that this man had just won the world cup with his team mates and yet there was not even a hint of arrogance.. he had reached the top in terms of achievement yet inzamam was still a humble man with an extra ordinary ability to play shots that were.. well just mesmerising. Ive seen him bat on many occasions here in Australia and as one of the few Asian batsman who have adjusted to the harder bouncier tracks of Australia, he has pesonally delighted me. Whats amazing is he has done this the world over, for so many years and still remained just as humble. He has inspired many a young cricketer and i would like to say I, for one will miss this batting maestro. Inzamam Ul Haq, today im not diasppointed to see you go, rather i want you to know today ive been given the chance to remember all the fantastic memories you have given us. Thank You

Inzy is the consistent player in cricket world.So he is remained ever and forever in all the minds of cricket lovers around the globe.

We will miss you. at least this time PCB got it right and honored this revered giant. Though Pakistan lost in the WordlCup and he accepted the failure but look at the reviews none you will find against him, because he is a not political or i must say a positively minded politician.

Though he may have lesser records than Tandulkar and Lara but he has played far more match saving innings than either of these guys.

Thanks Inzi.

Inzi's contribution to Pakistani cricket is phenomenal.
After the 2003 World Cup, we found him, Saeed Anwar, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis dropped from the team.
In his comeback, he probabl saved Pakistan from perhaps the biggest humiliation there can be.

He led the Pakistani team well. Only under his captaincy did the inexperienced Pakistani team reach the 3rd ranking Tests and ODIs. In fact, in the presence of the big guns, i.e. Anwar Akram and Younis, Pakistan never got a rank a higher than 6.

HE led the team to a series win against India, and is the only Pakistani captain to defeat South Africa in a test series.

Durng his reign as captain, his batting blossomed. The way he would single-handedly turn matches around was simply phenomenal.

As far as the Oval fiasco goes, I still remember that when Hair gave 5 runs to England on account of ball-tampering, Nassir Hussain and other commentators said that if they were in Inzi's place, they would walk off the ground there and then. However, after the match, everyone was very quick to blame Inzi for denying the spectators entertainment.

I believe that the loss to Ireland and Woolmer's death must be the most painful memories he has. I hope he can give the Pakistanis one last moment to rejoice.

His career is definitely worth celebration.

The sentiments exhibited by Mr.Abbasi are an amalgamated set of thoughts for anyone bearing a true Pakistani heart or a mere cricket fan. For what Inzi has presented to this world of cricket in 16 odd years needs no nations ‘barriers or bias attitudes.

A thrilling and adventurous entry in WC 92 was only followed by innumerable innings and countless rescues with his classy batting techniques. Inzi started his career as a young heavy built middle order hard hitter of the cricket ball and proceeded to be crowned as one of the most if not the most gigantic sportsman of the Pakistan; where cricket is assumed to be the only momentous sport and treated as religion along side the Indians.

Inzi’s journey as a batsman was always calm and composed apart from some exhibited rivalry against the arch rivals Indians. The same being the feature of his ‘Aloo’ Incident in Toronto, Canada but it is quite apparent that emotions of all these 22 players in addition to those sitting in the dressing run high during any Ind-Pak clash. That whole issue in Toronto was a mere consequence of the-then aggressive sentiments.

On the contrary, Inzi’s career has been one cool and relaxed one; a very distinctive Inzi’s laid back gait to take his guard and a usual belief for any opponent to attain his prize wicket before the team realize with the scoreboard stating ‘ Inzi 32*’. Inzi has never looked back and pressures arouse the best he had. His match winning talent is depicted in 17 of his 25 Test hundreds and it is almost an impractical task to track down his one day success and innings composure.

Being a resident of Melbourne, Australia it is futile to avow that ever sight of MCG reminds us of the glorious Imran Khan Tigers in WC 92 but it is always the thought of Inzi in the semis and Inzi and Wasim at the MCG who made that crown an unpredictable possibility and an honour which we proudly own eternally.

Inzi’s promotion as a leader brought about a different perspective of his notion of cricket. Countless times has be been criticized for his defensive captaincy and protective approach on the cricket field. A major factor could be the impact of his predecessor i.e. Wasim Akram who always stated ‘ the best way to defend is to attack’ and it is immaterial to state how he always kept his vision with one of the most furious displays of fast bowling the world of cricket has ever witnessed.

Differing from Wasim, Inzi had his captaincy styles rarely seen conversing with the bowlers during the fielding moments but it is the batting of Inzamam and his concrete nature which have resulted in celebrations at the Pak camp and through out the nation.
Inzamam once stated that had he not won the match against Bangladesh where he scored a remarkable 138*- he would have retired then. It was one of the most discussed topics of 2003-2004 but where would you rate that for a comeback?

It is vital to state that Inzi’s class deserves more credits as his No.5 was not preceded by openers like Tendulkar, Ganguly, Hayden, Gilly, and Jayasuria with dominators in the likes of Dravid, Kallis and Ponting etc to follow. The demise of Saeed Anwar and Aamir Sohail was the start to an endless count of experiments at the top order; an issue which is as current as of today with likely opening of Salman Butt and Younis or Kamran. It is the delicacy of this top order which has forced tremendous pressure on Inzi but with the techniques and cricket brain he possesses; he made it appear as ‘ a piece of cake’. Inzamam’s lone hand in the middle order started to achieve some support from Younis and more importantly from Yousuf in the 2 yrs or so; the latter two being the only Pakistan hope in the upcoming years along with our new skipper Shoji and another possible ‘Ul-Haq’ in Misbah.

Inzi- you have granted a new rank to our cricketing brains and our loyalty as fans and your well-wishers will always be obvious in your upcoming life; full of prayers and pleas on our behalf. It was a treat to watch you play and thank ALLAH in your own perception of English but you served us with what you were there for. It is a sad farewell but hopefully it is just a start to your new horizons of life awaiting your attention. Bets of Luck and Allah Hafiz

Wishing all the best to Inzy the gentle giant. I am one of the many Indians, (and there must be many others as well) who used to curse Inzy when he arrived at crease with bat in hand. That alone should be the testimony of what he has achieved as a cricketer.

This time, I'm eager to watch him one (or rather two) last time.

Farewell to a Pakistani and World batting Great! Inzamam ul Haq did for Pakistani cricket what Miandad and Imran did. Though he had a different tempo, personality and style but he is to stand there with the other two as a one of the cricketing genius. Have a great life Inzi and thanks for all you provided to the Pakistani fans!

Can somebody tell me, why us (people from subcontinent) keep on berating the player every step of the way during his career and then start heaping praise after praise when he decides to retire. They are lots of examples, Kapil Dev, Wasim Akram, Mahanama, Ranatunga, and now Inzamam & Tendulkar. What hypocrisy and from those people who haven't held a bat or can't even run 100 metres...and that probably explains why we do not have any international sports start...because they know one bad day and there houses would be burnt, there family members threatened and when they retire whole world will come with heaps of praises making the final moments even more miserable...
Farewell Inzy, our people really do not deserve a master like you...

I think the Big 3 of Indian cricket should take a leaf out of Inzamam's book and should gradually ease out - at least the ODI team.

for me he is the best batsman pakistan ever have. good luck in the future we love you.

Well I'm not surprised to see people comparing him to Tendulkar. He isn't better than Sachin, but he was good nonetheless.
Winning the WC is not an individual effort, its about the team. So that point is irrelevant. And most of Sachin's hundreds have not been futile, and those that have owe to a team of jokers in the 90s.

Well, it is really a sad moment to let him go like this. I still remember while bowling to him in nets in Combined Cricket Club for hour during his off days in international cricket. He is really a true legend and a humble person yet aggrassive which people beleive he is not. I still don't believe on his comments of age difference in the dressing room and this is totally a push from the PCB. Well Hat's off the great batsman of the our era. Will miss you inzi.

I hope he gets past Miandad's record and helps us level the series. The man has been simply awesome for us for a long time. I am sure he will take his place in history as one of the games great players and rightly so. As for my learned friend mr.Khan in Canada I presume you are a student sir as you seem to have far too much time on your hands! Looking forward to your response!

I think it wouldn't quite be right to claim that Inzamam is the greatest batsman Pakistan produced. Certainly Javed Miandad, and arguably Saeed Anwar, were better batsmen than Inzamam only in the last 15 years. Also, Inzamam was found wanting against opposition such as Australia and South Africa.
However, undoubtedly, he was one of the best batsmen of his generation. I don't think comparisons with Shoaib Malik (in terms of batting) do either Inzamam, or batting, justice.

I didn't like his defensiveness as a captain, yet credit to him for being able to unite an otherwise volatile people and a team.

After the worldcup, however, I thought he could have gone on for a year or two. With an India and Australia series coming up, and no equal replacement in sight, Inzamam could have been vital. The new captain argued against him though (referring to DAWN) and the giant realized, thus, he could never fit in.
Best wishes to Inzamam and I hope he makes a castle of potatoes in Multan.

It would not be wrong and certainly not a falcification that Inzamam has not only captured the hearts of millions of Pakistanis but also of Indians. Critics might remember him for sleepy and slowish runner between the wickets and for all wrong reasons but for true cricketer he will always be remember as one of the greatest cricketer Pakistan has produced. With Inzamam retiring from world of cricket, it will bring curtains to the most cherished moment of Pakistan's cricketing history (the '92 World Cup win. Its good to know that Paksitan Cricket Board has finally decided to give its players a due farewell. Its always in a habit of avioding it and not recognising the efforts of its players who have given their best part of their lives for their country. Its heartening to know that Inzamam is getting farewell for which he deserves every penny of it. At the same time it will be a loss to not only to Pakistan cricket but to millions of cricket fans that we will not be seeing more of this great Pakistani player. Players like Inzamam are not born everyday, they are class players, difficult to get and difficult to find their replacements. Inzamam is one such player whose replacement will be a big headache for Pakistani cricket board. As we say good things must comes to an end, so is his stay with cricketing world. Great cricketer....

What can one say about the great Inzimam that hasn't been said already. He truly was a giant amongst men, a true gentleman both on and off the cricket pitch. Inzimam had the best temperament for any Pakistani batsman I can recall. He always batted for his team as the situation demanded and not for his average as many of his predecessors did for theirs !
Inizmam comanded respect from everyone regardless of their nationality and we will all miss him. I sincerely hope that PCB are able to find an appropriate role for him in his retirement as he has still much to contribute to Pakistan Cricket.
Best Wishes
Dr Haroon Chaudhry.

Inzamam is truly one of the best batsman of the generation. Especially during the 90s' when I grew up watching the game. Everyone remembers that innings against NZ in 92 WC. That was a great knock. But there is another knock which remains clear in my mind. In the 2003-04 series against India in the 1st ODI when India had made 349 batting first Inzamam almost got Pakistan to victory with an astonishing innings of 122 of 102 balls. The calm way in which he batted really baffled me. He just played a seemingly normal innings but almost won it for Pakistan. This was truly a great innings.
I wish Inzamam-ul-Haq all the best for his future.
We will truly miss this batting maestro who made batting look so easy with his silken touch.

as u said before "with inzi , the last link to 92 glory is fading". we all will miss him big time.
our poor middle order will miss him big time.
farewell Inzi

Simply he was a Legend and a great Ambassador for Pakistan we will Miss You Inzi Bhai

Kamran good job buddy

BismillaHirrahmaniRahim. I like and respected him very much the way he atarted his speach. It was greatest thing he did by thanking Allah. I will always remembered that he used to say Bimillah so religiously. Cricket and religion was first time mixed in the cricket in the field.He was the pioneer. Probably He used to pray to Allah to help win the cricket match against his opponents. Who knows opponents might have been also praying to same God for Pakistan's defeat thinking their God is different. I wonder if God has any interest in boring 5-day cricket match and whose prayers should he hear specially if it is the same God. May be God prefer only Twenty20 cricket match as He is very busy.

Talking about 5 days cricket,I like to see two days single inning, 90 over for each team , test match, would do wonders.We would call it Mini Test "MT" which would save us from 5-day match.
Any way about Inzi I have only seen Inzi on TV since I lived in USA, but I have never seen live in the stadium. I believe he was magistic. The First video I saw about him when he won world cup for Pakistan in 1992. I was really impressed when I watched his shots that he had no fear of any kind. I had a hunch he would prove to be great batsman one day.In world cup final he thrashed all his opposition bowlers. I am familliar with pressure but I was amazed to see his fearless approach which I have never witnessed previously. I learned from him that if you want to be successful, catch the fear, roll and compress it in the shape of a cricket ball and toss it up in the air and then hit a Six on it out of the stadium and then get on the job.

I must say Inzi will always be in our hearts and we want him to be around some way attached to cricket. Luckiely I saw a amusing picture of his son may be 7 years old that time, walking with his father Inzi, they were exact copies of each other, what a wonderful seen it was! He looked just like him and very cute. In another words at least we would have a copy in the future just like him. Our and Inzi's future is safe Inshallah.

Inzamam will leave a big in the world cricket. He is my favorite cricketer. A perfect role model as a sportsman and as a person. I wish he had a better exit.

i am already missing Inzy. Still remember that cold morning of march 25 when he under the captaincy of Imran brought us the world cup.
Inzy there wont be another one like you.
Thanks for whatever you have done.

Thanks
Shahid.

Some facts about Inzi :

1.Inzi was a very , very good Batsman.

2.Apart from Batsmanship he was below par in all other aspects of Cricket.

3.Apart from Pakistani Press he will never be considered as one of the top four to five batsmen of his generation.

4.Javed Miandad probably is the greatest Pakistani batsman of modern times .Although Inzi is very close and certainly Inzi was a better Batsman of Pace.

5. Inzi will never admit it but introduction of religion in Cricket(initiated by him) was a mistake.

6.He was a reasonable captain but not a very intelligent one. Certainly his understanding of strategy and usage of a Coach in Cricket was poor.

7.The apparent humility in his demeanor was paradoxical to the the subtle but strong Narcissism he manifested in his captaincy and general handling of players.

From a neutral/unbiased point of view :

A close to great batsman but a slow fielder , poor ruuner between the wickets , unintelligent strategist , emotional/religious person who did not understand where religion ends and occupation begins and the worst shortcoming as a captain , Inzi had a poor eye for talent.

Well what can i say about the greatest legend of pakistan cricket !!!!! He was one person who used to turn the match on his own. He was the sole match winner !!! One cant think of a match winner other than inzi !! People call ricky ponting the greatest batting talent but can u even quote one instance when ponting won the match for australia when the entire country depended on him . the answer would definitely be no!!! He got one oppurtunity to do so in the ashes at old trafford but failed to make an impact !! so for a person who has won innumerable matches for his country on his own and whose 17 out of 25 test centuries made pakistan win the matches , u have all the reasons to term him the best batsman to have played in the last two decades or so alongside sachin tendulkar (both are at par) !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Inzi would be missed for quite some time due to the unavailability of proper replacement.
Hats off for the great moments! atleast for WC92'.

Hmm.. enough said abiut the legend we all know as Inzi. Yes he was a treat to watch when batting, his sublime drives and hooks and pulls, well i don;t see anoyone in our current playing eleven copying. But what needs to be done here is, without any doubt, inzi should be given some role among coaching batsmen. Jeff thomson is doing a great job, but even he needs some one who can provide his personal example and work with the basics if not fine tuning of the openers. I hope the PCB take notice of this, and reward Inzi with the stature and respect. We all owe this man our thanks and well wishes for his service to our contry.
Inzi, you will always be our legend, forever!

what a humble soul, a true legend, a great player. this test match marks the passing of an era for pakistan cricket, and a passing of an era in my life.

i've grown up with big inzy, his 120 test matches have been anchors in my life - through my entire teenage years in school, my student days, the start of my working life in my early 20's, and into my late 20's and the associated responsibilities of real adulthood.

through it all big inzy has been there in the background, the serene legend plundering runs, flickering away on the old tv set in my teenage bedroom, or listening to his beautiful back-foot play on the radio i managed to sneak into my maths class, and now watching his every innings on cricinfo through my working day.

my favourite memories? the mythical innings in the '92 semi-final, the last wicket partnership with his friend mushtaq against the aussies in '94, launching ambrose into the stand for 6 after ambrose had chucked the ball at his head the ball before in 2000, the brutal triple century against the kiwis, the thin inzy who failed so badly in the 2003 world cup, but then rescued his nation's dignity in the 1 wicket win over bangladesh, the 100 in his 100th test match against india in bangalore and his skillful captaincy on the last day of that match, the hercules of the pakistan middle-order against england in 2005 with centuries in both innings in faisalabad, the incredible last wicket partnership with mohammed asif in south africa earlier this year, the man who made a stand against those who insisted pakistanis were cheats and ball-tamperers with flimsy evidence and who lacked the grace to acknowledge our skill.

inzy - i'm gonna miss you man. the kids of today are just not made of the same stuff.

Inzy has been one of the greats of the world cricket and certainly of Pakistan cricket.It was always amazing to see almost no pressure on him even when he came into bat under pressure situation.I think, not only we in India, but all the opposition in the world were glad to see his back. Such was his genius that with minimum fuss he would despatch a ball to the boundry.
I wish he scores a magnificient century in his last test and wins the match for his country. Inzy, all the best in your post active cricket era and thanks for entertaining all of us for almost 16 years.