PAKISTAN confirmed today that former captain Javed Miandad had turned down an offer to become the side’s batting coach for personal reasons.
The team has been let down by faltering fielding and under-achieving batsmen and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt and one-day captain Shahid Afridi had asked Miandad to come on board, manager Intikhab Alam said.
“The Pakistan team surely needs a batting coach and the board approached Miandad but he unfortunately declined the offer because of personal reasons. But I am sure that he will come and help the players in the near future,” Alam told reporters during team’s training camp for the West Indies tour.
Pakistan fly out to the Caribbean early Thursday (April 14) to play one Twenty20 international, five one-day matches and two Tests.
Miandad’s Test batting average never dropped below 50 throughout his 20-year career. His 8,832 Test runs at 52.57 remains a record today, with espncricinfo.com describing him as “the greatest batsman Pakistan has ever produced”.
The right-hander, now a PCB director, had initially hinted that he was willing to help out the squad but also said he was not willing to tour.
Alam said he was nevertheless happy with the team’s preparations for the West Indies.
