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High spirits

Miandad's resignation will not hurt team in World Cup

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Posted: Thursday April 22, 1999 02:05 PM

KARACHI (Reuters) -- The surprise resignation of Pakistan's cricket coach just days before the team leaves for the World Cup will not hurt the team's chances in England, the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Thursday.

PCB chairman Khalid Mahmood also said team spirit was high despite Wednesday's announcement that Javed Miandad had handed in his resignation to the board.

"Pakistan is a very finely tuned team at the moment...team spirit is rather high, and despite this surprise resignation I expect the Pakistan team to do very well," Mahmood told Reuters by telephone from Lahore.

But he added he was shocked by the resignation, which Miandad said was due to "pressing family commitments."

There have been reports of disputes between Miandad and some of his players, but Mahmood declined to comment.

"It is purely an internal matter, whatever the cause. Being a responsible official of the Pakistan Cricket Board, I cannot comment on that," he said.

Mahmood also said he did not think Miandad was unhappy that the PCB had hired Englishman Richard Pybus as a technical coach for the World Cup.

"It certainly has not been given as an official reason [for the resignation]," Mahmood said.

Pybus will join the team on May 1 in England after resolving a dispute with cricket officials in South Africa, where he coaches provincial side Border, who did not want him helping one of the country's rivals in the World Cup.

Pakistan leave for England on April 27 and play their first preliminary round match against the West Indies on May 16.

Mahmood said the executive council of the PCB would meet on May 1 to discuss Miandad's resignation and would either ask him to continue or accept it.

Former Pakistan captain Miandad said in his resignation letter that family commitments meant he would not be in a position to continue his assignment as coach.

"I wish the team good luck in the World Cup and hope and pray that the title returns to Pakistan," said Miandad, the only player to have competed in all six World Cups, including Pakistan's victory in the 1992 final.

Miandad's resignation came at a high point in the team's fortunes. They won the Sharjah Cup one-day tournament earlier this month.

But media reports over the past few days have highlighted disputes between Miandad and senior players, although captain Wasim Akram has been quoted as saying there was no rift.

A prolific batsman, Miandad is Pakistan's top run scorer in both tests and one-day internationals.