Pakistan: Senior players given rest, says Yawar

Lahore, Feb 10: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ad hoc committee Director Yawar Saeed said here on Thursday that changes in the Pakistan team had been made to build up a nucleus of the team for World Cup to be held in South Africa in 2003.

While replying to a question at a press conference here, Yawar Saeed said that Moin Khan had expressed his inability to lead the team against the Sri Lanka team, therefore Saeed Anwar was picked as the next choice. He said that Brigadier (retd.) Khawaja Mohammad Nasir and former Test captain Intikhab Alam had been retained as manager and coach of the team, respectively. The physiotherapist Dayle Nyler was likely to join the team in a week's time as he had flown to England directly from Australia due topersonal problems, Yawar Saeed added.

Commenting on the omission of many stalwarts from the team, Yawar Saeed said that all had been given much-needed "rest." When asked whether they requested for the rest, Yawar Saeed remained silent. However, he clarified that Azhar Mahmood had informed him on Thursday morning that he had groin-injury so, he might not be considered. He said that paceman Waqar Younis was not available due to his marriage and Shoaib Akhtar was facing one-match ban imposed by the PCB chairman. He said that all the cricketers, who were in Lahore had passed the medical test and those who were not here would be given a medical test when they arrived here.

Yawar Saeed said that cricketers were national heroes and the PCB would take every step to give them honours, but in return they must observe the code of conduct. He said that the board demanded from cricketers cent per cent fitness and commitments.

The PCB director said that all the former Test cricketers, PCB bosses and secretaries would be invited as special guests at the venues near their homes whenever matches against Sri Lanka would be held there. The celebrated cricketer Hanif Mohammad would be chief guest at the final Test of the series to be held at Karachi from March 13 to 17, Yawar Saeed said.