Zimbabwe players congratulate Inzamam-ul-Haq after his final one-day international innings atSabina Park on Wednesday. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP):

FORMER TEAMMATES of captain Inzamam-ul-Haq sympathised with him for his emotional tearful farewell from international cricket after he scored 37 off 35 balls in an inconsequential victory against Zimbabwe following Pakistan's exit from the World Cup.

"In that brief innings, he showed the world his class," ex-Test wicketkeeper Rashid Latif told The Associated Press.

Pakistan made a shocking exit from the World Cup after losing successive group games against the West Indies and then suffered a stunning three-wicket defeat against unfancied Ireland.

"He didn't play just these two one-day internationals for Pakistan, he had won many matches for the country in the last 15 years," Latif said.

Latif and Inzamam were teammates when they began playing first class cricket in 1988 for a departmental team - United Bank Limited.

"I knew it then that Inzamam would do wonders in international cricket along with Saeed Anwar," Latif said.

Highest individual innings

Anwar, the left-handed opener, still holds the record of the highest individual innings in a one-day international when he made 194 against India.

Inzamam burst on to the international cricket arena with his blistering knock of 60 runs in the semi-final against New Zealand in the World Cup in 1992 that eventually Pakistan went on to win.

"From then on he didn't look back," Latif said.

"He was the best player under pressure in most matches," he added.

Latif described Inzamam as a man of few words, but with a sharp cricketing brain.

"People might say that he's emotionless on the field and sometimes even looked lethargic, but he knew what exactly he has to do on the field," Latif said.

"He shared jokes with only those who were close to him - players like Waqar (Younis), Basit (Ali), myself and Moin (Khan)," Latif said.

"He just used to go quiet when somebody else comes in whom he did not recognise," he added.

There has been outrage in the country of 160 million cricket fans and people even burnt effigies of players - including Inzamam - after Pakistan failed to qualify for Super Eight Stage in the World Cup.

"It's natural that, like every other Pakistani, I am also deeply disappointed with this early exit, but as a player, we should not forget what Inzamam has done for this country," Latif said.

Former wicketkeeper batsman Moin Khan recalled the day before Inzamam played his match-winning innings against New Zealand in the 1992 World Cup.

"He was unwell the night before the match and kept on vomiting, but the next day he was more than willing to play the match," he said.

"He had the urge of scoring the highest number of runs for Pakistan in both Test matches and one-day internationals," Khan said. "That urge unfortunately lacks in our other players nowadays."

Sorry

Khan felt sorry for Inzamam after Pakistan made a shocking exit from the World Cup.

"It was perhaps not the right way to say goodbye to international cricket and I wish he could have taken the team further in the World Cup," he said.

Pakistan looked a completely different team against Zimbabwe on Wednesday. Despite the sad demise of their coach Bob Woolmer four days ago, it handed Zimbabwe a crushing 250-run defeat.

"There was no pressure on the Pakistan players because they knew they were out of the competition," ex-Test captain Javed Miandad told a private television channel.

"Yesterday's performance was ample proof that our players can't play under pressure."

Even a swashbuckling 160 from opener Imran Nazir against Zimbabwe was not enough to satisfy Miandad.

"The damage had already been done so what's the use of playing such a knock," he said.