Waqar marks territory for Miandad

I'm the strategist, he is the batting consultant: coach.

KARACHI: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has made it loud and clear that Javed Miandad’s addition to the panel of coaches will not affect his role with the team.

Miandad, who has had three coaching stints with the team, was approached by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to act as a batting consultant for the training camp prior to the New Zealand tour as well as the tour itself. The former captain, while expressing his willingness for the role, ruled out touring with the team.

Younis, who is the head coach while another former fast-bowler Aaqib Javed is the bowling coach, has said he welcomes PCB’s move.

“As long as Miandad’s role does not clash with mine, I’m fine,” Younis told The Express Tribune. Younis, another former captain, will join the training camp in Lahore on December 8. “The PCB wants batsmen to learn from Miandad. And if it helps the players, I don’t mind.

“I will send players to him whenever he wants them. He can work on their technique and sort out their difficulties. But when it comes to match strategy, that’s my job.”

The coach, who had a talk with Pakistan’s chief selector Mohsin Khan, was satisfied with team selection and expecting a good performance in New Zealand.

“Khan told me about some players having a clearance issue and this is the extent of my knowledge on the subject,” said Younis regarding Kamran Akmal and Danish Kaneria who were omitted from the squad.

PCB unhappy with new FTP

Meanwhile, the PCB was disappointed after it came to their knowledge that the country will not get enough matches against top teams in the next Future Tour Programme (FTP) for 2012-20.

According to details, the PCB has called for an increased number of matches against teams like India, Australia and England in the next FTP instead of the lower-ranked ones. It has expressed its reservation following the International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) meeting that was held in Dubai to discuss the plan.

“Pakistan needs to play more against top sides because the country is already in crisis as we cannot stage international cricket at home,” a PCB official told The Express Tribune. “We have conveyed our reservations and are hoping to get more matches in the schedule which is yet to be finalised.”

Meanwhile, the ICC said the CEC meeting made an excellent progress towards finalising the FTP Test and One-Day International league schedules.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2010.