Miandad says no player is being rested

Karachi: Pakistan coach Javed Miandad on Thursday said no player has been advised rest by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the cricketers not available are mostly on fitness grounds.

Talking from Lahore hours after returning from London, Miandad said had the unfit players been fit, they would have been considered for selection. "Moin Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Shoaib Akhtar are injured while Wasim Akram had informed his unavailability well in advance."

He said the PCB was taking every event very seriously and even though the players might feel a bit tired, they are professionals and expected to perform. "For many, the Singapore series might not be important but for the PCB it is. After all, a Pakistan team would be going there and the ambition will be to win it and start the season on a winning note."

Miandad, however, admitted that senior players are always missed in tough tournaments. He said: "Of course you miss them. But instead of thinking that we can't win because those players are not in the team, the players should have confidence in them that they can win the games for the country."

The coach said India's withdrawal from the Toronto series was disappointing but said nowadays all the teams were even. He said whosoever will be the opponent, it will be a cricket match. "If you say there will be no interest if Zimbabwe replaces India, then you are mistaken. Zimbabwe defeated England and the West Indies in the triangular series. Besides, one-day cricket is very cruel."

Miandad said although he has not yet received any official letter confirming him the coach for another eight months, he considered himself as part of the team.

Miandad said he would be trying to learn lessons from the four-month tour. "There are lessons to be learnt. What we would try to introduce is not to burn out the players. It was observed in the triangular series in Sri Lanka, that the boys had drained out. Now we would try to replace them as soon as we get an indication that they are getting tired or rusty."

Miandad didn't specifically mentioned the most important series in the forthcoming season but said the series against England would be very tough because they would be coming after a lay-off of about 13 years.

The former captain said he would join the camp on Friday morning and watch the second practice game. However, he said the camp will not be extended as the team has to leave for Singapore on Aug 16 and in between was Sunday and then the Independence Day.