Yawar Saeed Is Named As Pakistan Manager (23 May 1996)

23 May 1996

Saeed is named as Pakistan manager

By Richard Bright

YAWAR SAEED was yesterday named as manager of the Pakistan team for the tour of England which begins next month.

Saeed, a tobacco company executive in Islamabad who managed Pakistan on the 1985 tour of New Zealand and Australia, will replace the former Test captain, Intikhab Alam, who was in charge of Pakistan`s 1992 and 1996 World Cup campaigns.

"We have nothing but praise for Intikhab," Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive Arif Abbasi said. "He has contributed a lot to the cricket team, but it was felt that a change should be made."

Intikhab`s dismissal follows Pakistan`s failure to retain the World Cup title. A PCB spokesman said he had become "too soft".

Saeed, 61 who played for Somerset from 1953 to 1956, will manage the Pakistan side for the England tour starting on June 22. He managed the last Pakistan tour to England in 1992, when allegations of ball-tampering were made against the tourists` pace bowlers. His assistant will be former Test cricketer Nasim-ul Ghani, who was on the international panel of umpires for the recent World Cup.

The two appointments have been made initially for the 2.5-month tour of England. Pakistan, led by Wasim Akram, will play three Tests and three one-day internationals in England.

"I am feeling great. It is a challenging job," Saeed said yesterday. "I am familar with the climate and know the cricket structure in England. Things are not new to me. I know the boys very well."

Saeed, who was a medium-pace bowler, is known as a disciplinarian. He also managed the Pakistan team which toured New Zealand in 1984-85.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http.//www.telegraph.co.uk)