LAHORE – The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is negotiating with former skipper Javed Miandad to accept the post of the national team’s batting coach. ODI skipper Shahid Afridi told reporters here after a meeting with PCB chief Ijaz Butt that the board was holding talks with Miandad.
“I have suggested having a batting coach with the team to work with the players and Miandad is one of the people the board is in touch with,” Afridi said. It must be noted that Miandad, a veteran of 124 Tests and 237 one-dayers and also a former coach, had to leave his post due to issues with the board and within the team.
The former captain, now working as PCB’s director-general, has often talked about having a bigger say in the national team affairs, and had also accepted a temporary assignment as batting consultant for the New Zealand tour last year. Afridi said that batting was an issue with the national team and there was a need to have a specialised coach to work with the batsmen.
Pakistan bowed of the World Cup 2011 after failing to chase 260 in semi-final against India. Afridi also confirmed that he had asked the national selectors and the board to consider some new players for the upcoming West Indies tour. “I think this tour is the best chance for us to give exposure to those players who have done well in domestic cricket. The tour will allow the management to assess and groom them,” he said.
Coach Waqar Younis has also supported having new players in the side, but cautioned against making wholesale changes in the team. Indications are that the selectors have made up their mind to rest senior players Kamran Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Abdul Razzaq and drop young opener Ahmed Shehzad for the one-day and T20 series in the West Indies.
Pakistan’s enigmatic fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has already announced his retirement from international cricket. Afridi said that Shoaib would have been played in the crucial game against India if he was fit. “The management had nothing personal against him, it was just his fitness issue that went against him,” he said.
The national selectors are due to announce the squad for the Windies tour later this week.
