Javed Miandad to be next team coach

Karachi, Feb 27: Javed Miandad will replace Intikhab Alam as coach of the Pakistan cricket team after the conclusion of the home series against Sri Lanka, highly placed sources said on Sunday.

Intikhab Alam will be appointed manger, sources added. After the home series, Pakistan travel to Sharjah for the Sharjah Cup and then proceed to the West Indies for a triangular one-day and three-Test series. From the Caribbean, Pakistan team will proceed to Dhaka for the Asia Cup and then fly to Sri Lanka for a triangular one-day series that will be followed up by a three-Test series.

Between March 21 and July 13, Pakistan will be playing six Tests and nearly 25 one-day internationals. Sources, requesting anonymity, confirmed that a discussion regarding the job of the coach and manager was held during the first Test being played at Rawalpindi.

Sources added Miandad and Intikhab have accepted the offer.

Miandad, Pakistan's most successful batsman, was also the coach between September 1998 and April 1999. He is now one of the five members of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) advisory panel.

Sources said Miandad was picked after the board went through his excellent record and experience in the Caribbean. Intikhab Alam was chosen as the manager because of his vast experience as team official. Intikhab, who is presently the coach of the team, has been associated with the team since 1981. During the last 19 years, he has held the post of coach for little over 10 years.

Sources said the PCB has decided in principle to appoint former England captain Geoff Boycott as coach of the second Pakistan string. Boycott would be assisted by former Pakistan opener Mudassar Nazar.

"The PCB feels that the youngsters need to be coached at the grass roots level and who can be better coach for them than Geoff Boycott whose knowledge of the game is second to none. Besides, he has played text book cricket throughout his career and the board wants him to pass on his experience to the Pakistan youngsters knocking at the doors of international cricket," sources said.

The sources, however, said no contact has been established with Boycott but the PCB officials were optimistic that the Yorkshireman would accept the offer.