Inzamam says playing future depends on performances

LONDON, Sep 27 (Reuters) Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, facing charges of bringing cricket into disrepute and ball tampering, said in a newspaper interview today that his playing days may be numbered.

''I don't know how much longer I'll be playing cricket,'' he told the Guardian newspaper. ''I'm not going to say if I'll play up to the World Cup (March and April) or after the World Cup. It all depends on one's performance.'' The 36-year-old, the only active member of the victorious Pakistan World Cup team of 1992, had been advised by former captain Rashid Latif to quit test cricket to prolong his one-day international career.

''Well, before he said that, many used to say that I should stop playing one-dayers and concentrate on test matches instead,'' he said.

''Actually, the thing is that of the World Cup team that triumphed in 1992 I am the sole remaining player. All the rest have retired. I think maybe some of my colleagues want to see me spend time with them -- off the pitch.'' Inzamam stressed that he had done nothing wrong in the now infamous fourth and final test against England at the Oval last month when the umpires accused his team of ball tampering.

He responded by leading his team back on to the field late after the tea break and the match was later deemed forfeited.

Inzamam would only say: ''Definitely, I did feel some pressure.

But inside I resolved that I had done nothing wrong and was satisfied with my actions. That's what helped me.'' He continued: ''By God's mercy, I received a lot of public support. It's a very good thing that the stand we took was appreciated by the Pakistani people. Respect is the main thing -- it's the first thing that matters.'' Inzamam was expected to give evidence to the International Cricket Council's two-day hearing at the Oval on Wednesday.

REUTERS DH BD1535