Pakistan: New team coach to be named later this month (7 June 1997)

07 June 1997

New team coach to be named later this month

By Ilyas Beg

LAHORE, June 6: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Majid Khan has said that a new coach in place of Mushtaq Muhammad will be appointed on his return from Britain in the third week while the national senior team for the Asia Cup to be held in Sri Lanka from July 14 to 27 will be finalised by the end of this month.

In an exclusive interview with this reporter, Majid Khan said that despite accepting the resignation of the former Test all-rounder Mushtaq Muhammad tendered by him on May 31, he has not been able to deliberate upon a suitable date for calling a PCB Council meeting to appoint his substitute. That body only was authorised to appoint a new manager or coach for the future assignment. "No name has yet been considered for the two positions for future assignments. All names being mentioned in some newspapers are mere rumours or conjectures", said the former Test captain and now PCB chief executive Majid Khan.

While replying to a question, the stylish opener of yesteryear said that a national training camp for some weeks would be set up in Lahore in the middle of this month after the return of players of the team going to India to play charity matches in Hyderabad from June 11 to 15.

Majid Khan said that he was going to Islamabad on Sunday (June 8) evening. He would leave for London by a British Airways flight on Monday (June 9) morning and attend the International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting to be held there from June 11 to 15. He said that he was expected to come back to Pakistan on June 19 and would attend to all important issues. That included convening a PCB Council meeting. While replying to another question about the fitness and availability of the players for the Asia Cup, Majid Khan said: "Shahid Nazir has reported that he has regained fitness. Saqlain Mushtaq has also informed about his availability for the Asia Cup. Despite PCB's offer to get him treated at Lahore, Inzimam-ul-Haq informed that he is satisfied with the treatment he has been getting in Multan. Twice the PCB fixed an appointment for young paceman Abdul Razzaq with the orthopaedic surgeon Aamir Aziz on Sunday and Tuesday. I am not aware about his response."

When this reporter asked about the treatment of paceman Muhammad Zahid for his back-trouble, Majid Khan said: "Yes! Muhammad Zahid rang me up from Nottingham. I had asked him to come back to Pakistan because the PCB wants him to be examined by the team-physiotherapist Dr Dan Kiesel and Pakistani specialists. They will also examine his test-reports. If his treatment is not possible here, the board will be willing to send him for treatment abroad on the recommendations of the experts." Majid Khan said that he was not sure whether he would be able to meet Muhammad Zahid or other Pakistani Test cricketers during his short visit to Britain where the ICC was to discuss some very important issues. Chief selector Salim Altaf told this reporter that he was going to discuss some "important things" with the PCB chief executive Majid Khan. "We intend to finalise the Pakistan cricket team out of the available players before June 30", said the former Test paceman and chief selector Salim Altaf.

Source:: Dawn (https://xiber.com/dawn/)