Bari replaces Alam as Pakistan team manager

Pakistan have appointed the former wicketkeeper-batsman Wasim Bari team manager for their upcoming series against West Indies in the UAE. Bari will replace Intikhab Alam, whose contract with the PCB is set to expire this month.

"Intikhab Alam's contract with PCB as team manager is concluding this month," the PCB said in a statement. "PCB would like to express its thanks and appreciation to Mr. Alam for his contribution to the Pakistan cricket team. The team has received a lot of plaudits for their conduct on the recent tour of England and were appreciated as positive ambassadors of their country. Mr. Alam's role as head of the Pakistan contingent was key to the PCB's efforts to ensure an incident-free tour of England."

The decision not to extend Alam's contract, ESPNcricinfo understands, was taken midway through the England tour, as the result of a controversial decision he took. Alam allowed the family of bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed to reside in the middle-order batsman Ifthikhar Ahmed's room during the Test series, forcing the player to share a room with Mohammad Rizwan. The incident was a direct violation of the code of conduct, with Alam found to be lenient in enforcing the code. The tour otherwise was a success unlike some previous tours of England.

Bari played 81 Tests and finished with 228 dismissals, the most by a Pakistan wicketkeeper. He captained Pakistan in six Tests - the drawn home series against England in 1977-78 and the tour of England in 1978, which Pakistan lost 2-0. Like Alam, he has been a significant figure in Pakistan cricket, serving as player, captain, chief selector, director of the PCB's human resource and education departments, and imparting anti-corruption training. He also served a stint as the chief operating officer of the PCB, the second-highest post behind only the chairman.

Alam has been involved with Pakistan cricket through most of the last six decades. He made his Test debut in 1959 against Australia in Karachi, and played 47 Tests in all in a career that stretched until 1977. He captained Pakistan in 17 Test matches, and after his playing career served as manager, selector, coach - helping Pakistan to a World Cup title in 1992 and a World T20 triumph in 2009 - and as director of the National Cricket Academy and the PCB's director of international operations.