AAJ TV : Pakistan Ki Awaz

KARACHI : National team coach Intikhab Alam said on Sunday he accepted 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 were 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."

Captain Mohammad Yousuf, who returned to Pakistan on 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."

Alam denied there was any rift in the team.

"Talk of grouping is baseless and rumours. 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, were 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."

Alam said he would give the PCB a detailed report on team's performance.

"I will give a detailed report on team's performance on the tour and hope a fair analysis is done," said Alam, whose last tenure as coach ended after Pakistan lost a Test series 2-1 to Sri Lanka in 2000.

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."

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2010