Haq – in
2017.But Inzamam defended his
selection, saying his nephew deserved respect like any other Pakistan player.
'Imam was first picked for
Pakistan's Under-19 team in 2012 when I was not the chief selector,' he said.
'He was again picked as the
vice-captain of the Under-19 team which played the World Cup in 2014.
'So he came through the system
and nothing else. He should be given respect like we give to any other Pakistan
player.'
Imam has scored 1,692 runs in
ODIs since making his debut in 2017 at an impressive average of 54.58. However,
the left-hander's Test figures are less impressive: 10 Test matches, 483 runs
at an average of 28.41.
Inzamam also defended Pakistan's
performance in the recent World Cup despite starting off badly against the West
Indies – when Pakistan were all out for 105 - and also losing to arch-rivals
India and Australia.
'We knew we needed to improve our
net run-rate drastically,' he said.
'But the wickets got difficult as
the tournament progressed and it's evident from the fact that England found it
difficult to chase down even 241 runs in the final,' he said.
Inzamam said he never dropped a
player for personal reasons during his three-year tenure as chief selector, but
'I am also a human being and can make mistakes.'
'The team could have performed
better during my time than the results reflect,' he said.
'I may have inadvertently
overlooked some potentially deserving players, but I have always had the best
interests of Pakistan cricket foremost in my heart.
'I hope the passionate Pakistan
cricket fans will understand and can see this in my decisions.'
Opening batsman Jason Roy
has been named in England's Test squad for the first time for the one-off match
against Ireland starting at Lord's next Wednesday.
Roy racked up 443 runs in England's triumphant
50-overs World Cup campaign, but is not a regular top-order batsman for Surrey
in red-ball cricket.
The 28-year-old is expected to open the
batting with Surrey teammate Rory Burns and will have an
opportunity to impress the selectors ahead of the Ashes series against
Australia starting on Aug 1.
Somerset all-rounder Lewis
Gregory has also been called up for the first time, while uncapped
fast bowler Olly
Stone, who picked up an injury on this year's tour of West Indies,
returned to the squad.
England's leading wicket-taker
James Anderson was included, despite picking up a calf injury this month.
England World Cup winners Jos Buttler
and Ben
Stokes were rested for the Ireland Test but have been included in a
16-man pre-Ashes training camp this weekend.
Fast bowlers Mark Wood and Jofra Archer
were not considered for selection because both players have suffered side
strains.
Wood has been ruled out for four
to six weeks while Archer will have a period of rest before being considered
for Ashes selection.
England squad: Joe Root
(captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicket-keeper), Stuart
Broad, Rory Burns, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Jack Leach, Jason Roy,
Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.