Kingston, March 19:

Inzamam-ul-Haq will quit one-day cricket and stand down as captain after the World Cup, citing Pakistan’s first-round exit and the sudden death of coach Bob Woolmer as his main reasons.

Playing at his fifth World Cup, the Pakistan captain scored 36 in the opening loss to host West Indies and 1 in the shocking upset to Ireland. The 37-year-old batsman said the upcoming match against Zimbabwe will be his last one-day international, although he plans to keep playing Test.

“This is the last one-day international I’m playing,” he said on Sunday, hours after Woolmer was pronounced dead in hospital. Ireland upset 1992 champion Pakistan on Saturday, prompting immediate calls for both Inzamam and Woolmer to resign.

“I apologize to the people of Pakistan because I disappointed them,” Inzamam said.

“The players tried our best and worked very hard in this World Cup. “I just offer my apologies to the Pakistani nation and to my family because they were with me all the time, helping.”

Inzamam said he had wanted to speak to Woolmer in the wake of the loss to discuss his future, but the pair agreed the discussion could wait a little while.

“That talk never came,” he said. Woolmer’s death, “is a big shock for me.” The rest of the players in the Pakistan squad were standing on the fringes of the news conference when Inzamam made the announcement, all looking dejected.

Inzamam has compiled 8,813 in 119 Test matches at an average of 50.07 and a high score of 329. In 377 limited-overs internationals, he has amassed 11,702 runs at an average of just under 40.