Indian batsmen I played against scored hundreds for themselves: Inzamam

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq believes that Indian batsmen he played against scored hundreds for themselves instead of the team while the players from his side were exactly the opposite.

Inzamam was speaking to Ramiz Raja on his YouTube channel, listing the major difference between the two teams during his playing days.

"When we played against India, their batting was more powerful than ours on paper. Even (though) our batsmen scored 30 or 40 runs, they were for the team. But for India, even if they scored 100 runs, they played for themselves," Inzamam said.

"So, that was the difference between the two sides," he added.

Inzamam made his debut under the 1992 World Cup-winning captain and current Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and said the way he backed his players even when they were not performing, made him a respected leader.

"Imran (bhai) was not a very technical captain, but he knew how to get the most out of his players. He backed the young players, he backed the players he believed in and this made him a great captain," said the 50-year-old, who scored more than 20,000 runs for Pakistan in his career.

"He would not drop any player if he failed in one series as he believed in giving the player a long rope and this the biggest reason why everyone in the side respected him so much."

During the 1992 World Cup campaign, Inzamam repaid the faith shown on him by scoring a whirlwind 60 off 37 balls against New Zealand in the semi-finals.

In the final match against England, he scored 42 runs off 35 balls.

Boards cannot survive for long without resuming cricket: Ramiz

Ramiz believes boards cannot survive for long without resuming cricket and urged the PCB to hold talks with other associations to find a way to play the sport behind closed doors.

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit sports hard with Cricket Australia forced to stand down almost 80 percent of its staff.

The fast-spreading disease has halted all cricket activities across the globe, putting under threat this year's T20 World Cup and also indefinitely suspending the 13th IPL.

"Cricket fans are starved now and the coronavirus pandemic has brought life to a standstill but I don't think cricket boards can survive for long like this. They can't continue to pay out salaries and expenses without having cricket activities it would be disastrous for them," Ramiz said.

"I would also urge the Pakistan Cricket Board to think on these lines and hold talks with other boards to see how cricket activities can be resumed even behind closed doors."

The coronavirus outbreak has forced countries to go under lockdown to contain the disease, which has so far infected over 2.5 million people globally.

The former Test opener said it would be a disaster if this lockdown continues for long.

"Unless a vaccine can be created, we can only defeat it through social distancing and precautionary measures," he said.

"Pakistan is trying to start industries in a bid to start the economy again. No country can survive in a perpetual lockdown. This would be a disaster. I believe the cricket industry needs to re-open as well."

Ramiz urged the PCB to take the first step in initiating talks with other boards in this regard.

"The PCB can take the first step in initiating this conversation. Any cricket board, no matter how rich, cannot keep paying salaries in a perpetual lockdown situation. We need dialogue and planning to start cricket again," he said.

"If fans cannot attend then holding it behind closed doors is an option."