PCB Chief Zaka Ashraf asks Javed Miandad to guide young talent

MARIA SAEED

 

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf has asked former cricket legend and Test Skipper, Javed Miandad to guide the Pakistani youngsters’ lot during their conditioning camp for the preparations of Under-19 World Cup to be held in Australia next month.

 

Miandad will coach batsmen of both Pakistan’s under-19 and Pakistan’s senior team before their participation in their upcoming respective mega events.

 

The Under-19 batsmen will attend training camp at the Gaddafi Stadium from July 15 as part of their preparations for the World Cup.

 

He has also been told to work with the senior team, ahead of their One-day and Twenty20 series against Australia to be played in the United Arab Emirates from August 28 to September 10 and the World Twenty20 to be held in Sri Lanka in September.

 

Miandad has been working with the Pakistan Cricket Board as Director General since 2008. The veteran player with 124 Tests under his belt, has coached the senior team during three different stints.

 

"Javed is without any doubt one of the greatest batsman produced by Pakistan and since he is employed with the board everyone feels he is the best man to work and offer some guidance to the batsmen at any level," a PCB official said. 

 

He said although former Test Batsmen Haroon Rasheed and Sabih Azhar were attached to the under-19 team, the feeling was that Miandad could do a lot to improve the batting skills of the players.

 

However, the PCB Chief Ashraf clarified that Miandad would only coach players in Pakistan and wouldn’t be part of the national side as regular batting coach in any tour.