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KARACHI - Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and several of his team mates slipped out of Lahore airport without speaking to the media when they returned home from a disappointing World Cup campaign this morning.
The players were escorted from a cargo terminal gate to their waiting cars before driving
off with relatives and friends.
The arrival of Inzamam, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Rao Iftikhar, Rana Naved, Umar Gul, Imran Nazir, assistant coach Mushtaq Ahmed and media manager, Pervez Mir completed the return of the Pakistan squad which was eliminated in the first round of the World Cup.
"We have been waiting here for over two hours and now we are told they have left by a side door. Even the media manager has not faced us," complained Pakistani reporter Rizwan Ali.
"Why can't they face us and the people?"
The players have endured a traumatic time ever since their coach Bob Woolmer was found unconscious in his hotel room in Kingston, Jamaica on March 18 and pronounced dead later that day in hospital.
The 58-year-old Woolmer, who police say was strangled, died less than 24 hours after Pakistan were eliminated from the World Cup following a shock defeat by Ireland.
Jamaican police are investigating Woolmer's murder.
A spokesman for Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority said it had been decided beforehand the team would leave by the cargo terminal in the Lahore airport.
Around 50 policemen armed with batons were at the arrival lounge and misled the media into believing the players would come out from the main entrance.
The four players who returned to the southern city of Karachi, however, faced the media and apologised for the team's poor display and said the death of Woolmer was a body blow.
There were no major protests or insulting banners awaiting Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Sami and Danish Kaneria at a crowded Jinnah International Airport.
"We are ashamed of our performances and gutted because of our coach Bob Woolmer's death," wicketkeeper Akmal told reporters.
"We can only apologise to our people for letting them down."
City police chief, Azhar Farooqi said some policemen had been deployed to the airport to ensure no untoward incident occurred. "But everything was okay and the players were escorted to their homes," he said.
Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf had returned home on Monday.
"No one can understand the pressure we were under because of our defeat to Ireland and Woolmer's death," said all-rounder Afridi.
Kaneria added: "Our team is much better than what we played in the World Cup. Losing to Ireland was a big shock."
"It was like living a nightmare.
- REUTERS
