The belief was always there: Inzamam

Inzamam also gave credit to Manoj Prabhakar, the bowling coach who was brought on board a month after the Pakistan batsman, for his role in the team’s progress. “If we are defending 124, it means the bowling coach has had a role. Manoj bhai is a very experienced player and coach, so the boys have benefitted from him. He’s also given them advice, it’s really great.”

While explaining his team’s success, Inzamam reiterated how greater exposure would see them rise even higher. “All these boys are talented. The thing is, they haven’t got that many opportunities to play against big teams. But they have talent, passion, temperament – everything. As they get chances, you are getting to see different facets to them – that their batting is very deep. ThoughRashid is basically a bowler, I think he can be a very good allrounder too. There are others too. What has happened in this whole tournament is that collectively our batting hasn’t clicked. It has been that we have done well in parts, someone has done well in one match, someone in another match. An overall effort of the whole team clicking hasn’t happened – if it had, I think we would have been in an even better position than we are in now.”

The only point on which Inzamam wasn’t sure was his own time with the team. “I am with them for a year now, so I’m looking at that first. After a year is up, we have to decide whether they want to keep me or not too,” he smiled. “It has to be both ways. I have five-six months left, and Allah willing, they will go well.”