Calcutta: It was only recently that Inzamam- ul Haq played his farewell Test but, clearly, Pakistan could’ve done with the titan’s services in India. The other day, in a chat with The Telegraph, Inzamam (now part of the Indian Cricket League) listed the special moments in his illustrious career — 8,830 runs (25x100) in Tests and 11,739 (10x100) in ODIs.

Here goes in Inzamam’s chosen order:

The 1992 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in Auckland

My innings of 60 took Pakistan to a World Cup final for the first time and, of course, fetched me the MoM award… It meant the world, for I was still fairly new to international cricket and, till the semis, hadn’t fared very well in the tournament. Mere liye bahut badi baat thi.

The 1992 World Cup final versus England in Melbourne

I didn’t score very big (42), but who can forget that March evening? Collectively, it remains our biggest achievement and, looking back, I’m happy that I played some role in creating history.

The 329 in the Lahore Test against New Zealand (2001-02)

Har batsman ki lambi innings khelne ki khwahish hoti hai… It was very hot and I remember getting cramps when around 270... But I thought if I was in such discomfort in home conditions, what would be the state of the New Zealand players? Surely, they would be getting more affected… Eventually, I missed Hanif Mohammed’s Pakistan record (337) by a few runs… (Adds laughing) Actually, it had come to such a stage that the New Zealanders were wanting me to quickly break the record in the hope that our innings would then come to a close and their misery would end!

The 138 not out (second innings) versus Bangladesh in 2003-04 in Multan

Special because it was my comeback series… Overnight, I think we needed 90-odd with just three wickets in hand… It quickly became two when Shabbir Ahmed got a poor decision… Once he got out (205 for eight, requiring 56 more) the fielders were pushed to the boundary and it became tough to get runs… Main bahut pressure mein aa gaya… The Bangladesh captain, though, made a mistake at that stage by claiming the second new ball… It worked to my advantage and, thankfully, we managed to win by one wicket.

The 57-run partnership for the tenth wicket with Mushtaq Ahmed in the dramatic win against Australia in Karachi in 1994-95

Mushy played a terrific lending hand (20 not out) and I remember telling him it was difficult making out which one of us was the specialist batsman! He did that good a job… The winning runs, however, came off byes… I stayed unbeaten on 58.

The 184 in his 100th Test, in Bangalore, on Pakistan’s last tour of India (2004-05)

In fact, we won that Test and were thus able to draw the series… That, in some ways, was a turning point for our cricket as we recorded a high percentage of wins in the months immediately after that… Woh Test hamesha ahmiyaat rakhe ga.

Finally, his biggest disappointment

Exiting in the first round of this year’s World Cup. With key players (like Shoaib Akhtar) either not available for the entire tournament or, like Shahid Afridi, not available for the first few matches, the odds didn’t favour us from the beginning… Whatever, it still hurts.

ON THE LATE BOB WOOLMER

On the morning Bob Woolmer’s body was found at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston

I got a call in my room some 30 minutes after Bob had been found unconscious… I wasn’t told of his exact condition, though… The security personnel had taken charge and no one was being allowed into his room… I introduced myself and requested that I be given just one look… They relented, mushkil se, and I saw Bob lying outside the bathroom... I’d been under the impression that he’d merely taken ill, but he was absolutely motionless… Dekhne se maloom chala ki halat bahut kharab thi… That’s the last I saw of my coach.

On the period immediately after that

(Emotionally) It was like hell… The worst days of my life… We wanted to quickly get out of the West Indies… The team had never imagined that each one would come under suspicion and that so many theories would begin to do the rounds… If somebody had to kill anybody for our shock exit, then wouldn’t I (as captain) have been the No.1 target?

On Woolmer as coach

He was good… Knew how to prepare the team… Knew how to lift its morale… We had a pretty successful partnership… I remember his message for all of us on the last tour of India was ‘never panic’… That held us in good stead.

Finally, on what he remembers most about Woolmer

The joy on his face when we beat India at the Kotla to win the ODIs… I’d never seen him so happy before that evening and never saw him as happy thereafter.

LPS