Woolmer panned for Shoaib comments

Shoaib gets support from another maverick © Getty Images

Aamer Sohail, former chairman of Pakistan's selection committee and a man with a reputation for being a loose cannon, has launched an impromptu broadside at Bob Woolmer for comment he made about Shoaib Akhtar, the fast bowler who played no part in Pakistan's recent successes in India.

In comments made to an Indian newspaper, Woolmer had suggested that Shoaib was "no longer an integral part" of the team, and that remark has incensed Sohail, who has demanded that the Pakistan Cricket Board take action against the coach.

PTI have quoted Sohail as saying: "Woolmer is a part of Pakistan team management who earns his bread and butter from the hard earned public money. The PCB should ask him how he dared to utter such silly words."

Then, in a bizarre twist, Sohail takes aim at Woolmer's choice of phrase, completely ignoring the fact that no profanities had been used. "I am astonished over the language used by Woolmer," he said. "I had thought of him as an intelligent person. He should have not used such language for Shoaib who has done remarkable services for Pakistan cricket."

A touch of xenophobia was also evident when he said: "I demand of Woolmer to apologise to Shoaib and the Pakistani people who would never tolerate such outbursts from a foreigner."

According to Sohail, Shaoib's presence would have been the difference between drawing the Test series and winning it. "Everybody in India asked me about Shoaib. I believe that had he been in India, Pakistan would have won the Test series as well. "Shoaib only needs a little bit of counselling and encouragement. If you sit with him politely he can deliver his best."

Sohail was also of the opinion that the often-fraught relationship between Inzamam-ul-Haq and Shoaib could be resolved by the intervention of a respected mediator, like Shaharyar Khan. "I think that like a seasoned diplomat Shaharyar should manage Inzy and Shoaib to sit across the same table and sort out their problems," he said. "Past is past. Let's start afresh. I believe that Shoaib should also realise the sensitivity of time and forget all mud-slinging hurled on him."