Cricket: It's Inzamam ul-Haq-ed off

The selection process for the World XI for the increasingly irrelevant Super Series has provoked outrage in some quarters.

Not only are events in England taking the shine off the series in October that is meant to pit the world's best, Australia, against the rest, but controversy has greeted the naming of the world teams.

Most of the noise is coming from Pakistan, where Inzamam ul-Haq, one of the best-performed test batsmen during the past 18 months, missed out on selection.

Inzamam told Pakistan television that, "I'd be lying if I said I am not disappointed. Yes, I am. But my disappointment is not to extents that would demoralise or depress me."

The World XI to take on Australia in three ODIs and a six-day test in Australia in October was named last week. Sir Richard Hadlee was on the selection panel and the team will be coached by John Wright. Daniel Vettori was New Zealand's only representative, though Brendon McCullum could count himself unlucky to miss out on the wicketkeeping role to Mark Boucher.

The biggest shock, however, was the absence of Inzamam, who has scored four test centuries during the past 18 months, to Sachin Tendulkar, who has barely played and whose one century in the same timeframe came against Bangladesh.

It has opened the ICC up to claims selection was influenced by potential ticket sales rather than performance.

"Just for curiosity's sake, I am interested to know what the criterion for selection was.

"I'd appreciate if any of the selectors explain why I couldn't make it to the squad, although their explanation would neither turn things around nor satisfy me," said Inzamam.

It has not satisfied legions of Pakistan cricket followers, either.

Three legends, who have never been backward in coming forward to criticise Inzamam when he's struggling, leapt to his defence.

"Please read the team-sheet again and carefully - there must have been a typographical error because no sane selector can drop such a great batsman," Hanif Mohammad said.

"This World XI is without a spine because there is no Inzamam," said Zaheer Abbas.

Javed Miandad described the omission as "mind-boggling".

"What was the selection criterion, because as far as I am concerned, when you select a World XI, you consider two things: present form of the player and the status of his team." 

Of course, it wouldn't be the subcontinent without a demonstration. Fans took to the streets to protest but it will fall on deaf ears.

The ICC probably has more to worry about than selection anomalies. The series is shaping as a giant damp squib unless Australia can pull something from the Ashes of its England series.

This is meant to pit the best against the best but Australia looks vulnerable. Worse than vulnerable, they look old and tired.

The best place for them might not be the Sydney Cricket Ground in October but in preserving jars.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY