September 27 Friday 2002
Pakistan appoints new manager ahead of Test series 

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani cricket board relieved team manager Yawar Saeed and appointed Brig. Khawaja Nasir in his place Thursday for next month's three-Test series against Australia, officials said. 

Saeed this week had been summoned by board chairman Gen. Tauqir Zia from Sri Lanka to explain why the cricket team did not perform well in international tournaments. 

Pakistan failed to qualify for the final of a triangular series in Morocco last month, and was easily defeated by Australia twice in a triangular series at Nairobi where it struggled to beat minnows Kenya in two other league games.

However, Pakistan shared the trophy with Australia when rain deprived the world champion of a victory in the final. 

The slump continued in Sri Lanka where Pakistan failed to qualify for the semifinals of ICC Champions Trophy when the host defeated them by eight wickets in the first group game.

This prompted the club to fire coach Mudassar Nazar before Pakistan played its last group match against the Netherlands, and replace him with South African Richard Pybus. 

"The main factor (behind Pakistan's poor performance) was physical fitness of senior players and injuries to key players like Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana,'' Saeed said.

Haq suffered a heel injury which might need surgery while Youhana had a shoulder problem as both players were ruled out from the Test series against Australia.

Saeed told the team chairman that due to personal commitments he would not be able to continue as manager until next year's World Cup in South Africa and should be relieved of his duties.

"They are a highly talented bunch and I am positive that they would soon leave the recent disappointments behind them. I wish them all the luck," Saeed said.

Nasir, who has previously managed the team on tours of Australia and Sri Lanka, will join the team in Colombo in the next couple of days. 

Meanwhile, fast bowler Muhammad Zahid has passed a fitness Test and will go to Sri Lanka before the first Test against Australia starts in Colombo from October 3. 

The series against Australia was originally planned in Pakistan as the country's Golden Jubilee celebration of Test matches, but was shifted to two neutral venues after Australia said it was concerned for its players' safety in Pakistan. 

The remaining two Tests will be played at Sharjah, United Arab Emirates from October 11 to 23.