Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam said Sunday he accepts full responsibility for his team's dismal performance on its tour of Australia last month, and vowed not to run away from any investigation. Pakistan was whitewashed 3-0 in the Tests and 5-0 in the one-dayers and lost the only Twenty20 match on the tour - results which prompted former players and fans to demand an overhaul of the team and management. Chief selector Iqbal Qasim last week resigned, but Alam said he would not make any premature comments. “I will not run away and will face an investigation,” said Alam after the team's return home early Sunday. “I am not going to comment on any resignation but I take full responsibility for the defeat.” Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf, who returned to Pakistan Wednesday, also vowed to continue as skipper despite a hint from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that there will be a change in the captaincy. PCB last week announced a six-man evaluation committee to investigate the defeats, which Alam said were due to poor fielding and batting. “It was a disappointing tour but if you look into the history, Pakistan has never performed well on a tour of Australia,” said Alam. “Our fielding was very poor and batsmen lacked determination and their shot selection was bad.” This was Pakistan's fourth straight 3-0 Test series whitewash against Australia, having lost by the same margin on the tours in 1999 and 2004. Australia also beat it 3-0 when the series was played on neutral venues of Colombo and Sharjah in 2002. The team was whisked away from Karachi's old airport terminal due to security problems in the city, where 33 people were killed in twin bomb blasts amid sectarian violence on Friday. Alam denied there was any rift in the team. “Talk of grouping is baseless and rumors. Such things come when the team loses,” said Alam, who replaced Australian Geoff Lawson in October 2008. “Australia is still the best team in the world and they played well. “Australia lost a home Test series against South Africa, was defeated in Tests in India and handed Ashes to England in the last two years, but their people backed them and they have regrouped. We should also back our team.” Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan has, however, described the Australian team as one of the weakest he has seen in years. “This is one of the weakest Australian teams I have seen play, they are still recovering from the loss of some great players but they are surviving because of their strong domestic structure,” Imran said during a cricket show on Geo New Channel Sunday. Alam said he would give the PCB a detailed report on team's performance. When asked about all-rounder Shahid Afridi's ball-tampering case, Alam said: “Every team in the world does tamper with the ball, but Afridi's style was unacceptable and different.” Afridi, leading Pakistan in the fifth one-day at Perth last Sunday, was caught biting the ball on two separate occasions. He was banned for two Twenty20 matches. A PCB evaluation committee issued a demand Sunday for Alam and Yousuf to explain the team's dismal performance. The six-man committee is headed by former captain Wasim Bari, who is the PCB's chief operating officer, and includes another former captain, Wasim Akram, in place of Haroon Rasheed, who was originally named as a member. Bari said the committee will start its work Friday. Asif not cleared by UAE Pakistan paceman Mohammad Asif will not be able to play in the United Arab Emirates as its authorities have refused to revoke a travel ban on him, an official said Sunday. The 27-year-old Asif was deported from the UAE after being detained at Dubai airport last June when a small quantity of opium was found in his possession. Bari said Asif would not be considered for the selection of the two Twenty20 matches, for which the team will be announced Monday.
