Date:20/04/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/20/stories/2006042010642100.htm

Sport - Cricket

Communication gap: Inzamam

Abu Dhabi: Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has blamed a communication gap for his controversial absence from the Cup unveiling ceremony and referee's meeting a day before the start of the first cricket match against India here on Monday.

``I was not informed about it, no one told me about the programmes,'' Inzamam said at a press conference on Tuesday night when asked about his absence.

However, coach Bob Woolmer was on record saying that Inzamam was aware of the two important engagements scheduled on the match eve. ``He knows about it, he had been unavoidably delayed,'' was what Woolmer had told reporters at the unveiling ceremony.

Pakistan Cricket Board director (operations) Saleem Altaf, who is also the chef-de-mission of the team, denied there was a rift between the captain and the team management.

``It was a communication gap. We have also explained this to match referee Roshan Mahanama,'' he said. — PTI