Embattled Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis has refused to quit following his side's first-round exit, but Inzamam ul Haq has stepped down as vice-captain.
"We are ashamed about our bad performance and know that the nation is very much disappointed. So we seek pardon from the nation," Waqar said at a media
conference called to explain Pakistan's debacle.
"The overall performance was poor. Our bowling and our batting were not up to the mark."
Manager Shaharyar Khan and other players took part in the conference in Lahore.
Waqar denied reports of "indiscipline" in the team, saying that the players were undone by "bad luck and misfortune."
Russell Crowe: C'mon Black Caps
Adopted Aussie Russell Crowe has gone into bat for New Zealand, switching allegiance to the Black Caps after friend Shane Warne was booted out of the Australian side for failing a drugs test.
The Oscar-winning actor sent the New Zealanders a message urging them to believe in themselves, as they did in the tri-series last year, ahead of last night's match against Australia.
New Zealand team manager Jeff Crowe said his cousin kept in contact despite his heavy travel schedule. "He and I had a quick chat and he's wished us all the best."
From mike to the pitch
Batsmen Alistair Campbell and Stuart Matsikenyeri were drafted into the Zimbabwe squad yesterday after being given the go-ahead by the International Cricket Council.
Campbell, a shock omission from the 15-man squad and who has not picked up a bat for six weeks, replaced Mark Vermeulen, who suffered a hairline fracture above his left eye after being hit by team-mate Travis Friend in the nets on Saturday.
Campbell was already in South Africa as a television commentator. Matsikenyeri replaced leg-spinner Brian Murphy, who tore a calf muscle while warming up during the interval in Sunday's six-wicket loss to New Zealand. India 'too reliant on Tendulkar' Australian coach John Buchanan believes India are too reliant on Sachin Tendulkar.
Buchanan said Australia's biggest World Cup threat could be their semifinal against yet-to-be-determined opposition rather than an increasingly likely final against India.
"Tendulkar is like Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya for Sri Lanka and Brian Lara for the West Indies. What those players do on a given day quite often determines what their team do and how well they perform," he said.
But without Tendulkar making runs for India, "you have to wonder what happens next."
"We haven't needed to rely on one player so far in the tournament."
World Cup schedule
Points table
Embattled Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis has refused to quit following his side's first-round exit, but Inzamam ul Haq has stepped down as vice-captain.
"We are ashamed about our bad performance and know that the nation is very much disappointed. So we seek pardon from the nation," Waqar said at a media
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