Karachi - Two senior players condemned on Monday a leaked report about serious rift in the Pakistan cricket team currently touring New Zealand as a blatant attempt to malign the players.
"I am disappointed over the attitude of the authorities who leaked the manager's report," a senior player said on condition of anonymity.
"It is an attempt to malign players before the public," he told reporters. Another player, attacking cricket officials, said: "The document should have been kept secret but its leakage shows the intentions of the people."
A secret report from manager Faqir Aizazuddin to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which was leaked to a local daily newspaper on Sunday, said serious differences between coach Javed Miandad and senior players marred the team's performance in New Zealand.
"Although Miandad wanted to combine the players' effort, talent and experience, the senior members of the side gave little thought to his words," the report said.
New Zealand secured their biggest ever Test victory on Friday when they crushed Pakistan by an innings and 185 runs at Hamilton, to level the three Test series 1-1.
"Players thought Miandad had a negative perception and wanted to oust them from the team," the paper quoted Aizazuddin as telling the board.
The PCB's advisory council are due to meet tomorrow to announce a new captain and discuss the squad for a tri-series starting in the United Arab Emirates on April 8.
Aizazuddin said the differences between Miandad and senior players continued "beyond repair limits" as the tour of New Zealand progressed.
"Miandad was forced to talk to PCB chairman Lieutenant General Tauqir Zia and offered to return but was asked to stay on," the report said.
In his report, Aizazuddin, himself a one-time first class cricketer, termed the current wicketkeeper-skipper Moin Khan a poor captain, the paper said.
"Khan lacked initiative and was uncomfortable with the administrators of the game," he writes. "Khan is sure that his career is over."
The manager also lashed out at legendary pacer Wasim Akram and suspected that he feigned injury to return home last week.
"Akram has at times played very irresponsible cricket and has to change his attitude," he said.
But he praised Akram's pace partner Waqar Younis as "honest and cooperative with everyone."
Aizazuddin also believes injured opener Saeed Anwar's career is over.
"Anwar has been physically hampered and knows his career is over."
The manager also came down hard on popular allrounder Shahid Afridi, as well as opener Imran Nazir and allrounder Abdur Razzaq.
"Afridi and Nazir do not want to learn while Razzaq was irresponsible in his batting," he said.
The team manager's report will come up for discussion at the PCB advisory council meeting, the paper said. - Sapa-AFP