Intikhab leaves for Lahore to meet BCP chief

Peshawar, March 9: Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam left for Lahore on Thursday evening while the rest of the side proceeds to Karachi on Friday evening for the third cricket Test starting there on Sunday.

"I have been called by the cricket board chief. I will talk to him," Intikhab said. When asked if he would be coming to Karachi, he replied: "I don't have anything add to what I have already said."

Intikhab said on Tuesday that the Peshawar Test would be his last as he was stepping down in protest against Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decision to announce the appointment of Javed Miandad as his replacement during the mid-series.

Yawar Saeed, director of the PCB, said from Lahore that the decision regarding Intikhab would be taken on Friday afternoon.

Yawar said the board has not issued any show cause notice to Intikhab for the breach of code of conduct but admitted that he would ask to explain his outburst against the board.

Yawar, while announcing the 16-man squad for the third Test, said no team managers have been named. He said if there was a change, it would be officially announced.

"I can't comment on who will replace Intikhab for the third Test if he refuses to continue. We will first meet with him on Friday and will then announce the decision."

Asked who would be the captain if the neck injury restrains Saeed Anwar from playing in the third Test, Yawar said it would also be named subsequently. "There is no vice-captain in the home series. But the board will have a couple of days to announce Saeed's replacement if needed."

But Saeed Anwar was confident that he would play at Karachi. "During the second Test, Inzamam-ul-Haq was my deputy. But I left the field for only one over," he said.