Mushtaq appears before evalutaion committee

Mushtaq Ahmed, Pakistan's assistant coach, appeared before a three-member performance evaluation committee constituted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to explain his team's disastrous performance in the World Cup.

Mushtaq, who is due to leave for England in a few days, was the first member to appear before the committee, which will also question Inzamam-ul-Haq and a few other members of the squad. Mushtaq was questioned on several matters pertaining to the team's disappointing show in the hour-long session with former Test cricketers Ijaz Butt, Saleem Altaf and Salahuddin Ahmed.

"There is no excuse for the poor performance which has really disappointed the nation and I can only apologise to public for that," Mushtaq said while speaking to Karachi-based daily Dawn.

He shrugged aside claims that the team's preparation for the mega event was not up to the mark and played an imperative part in Pakistan not progressing to the Super Eights. He added that the team failed to deliver on the field in successive losses to West Indies and Ireland.

Talking about the Bob Woolmer murder, Mushtaq criticised the lack of security measures taken for his team in the Caribbean.

"The security arrangements for the foreign teams in Pakistan are a lot better than what I saw in the West Indies," he said.

He also denied rumours that Shahid Afridi was questioned for longer by the Jamaican police over the death.

The performance evaluation committee, constituted last week, is expected to submit its final report on Pakistan's campaign within a month.