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Asia Cup - 2004
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Asia Cup - 2004
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News
Shoaib must be committed to
team: Woolmer
LAHORE: New Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer said on Saturday he expects
full commitment from Shoaib Akhtar if the star speedster wants to be
part of his team.
"There is no secret that Shoaib has a difference of opinion with the
Pakistan Cricket Board, but if he wants to play for Pakistan, he has
to be here and that is the bottom line," Woolmer told reporters on
the first day of his new coaching assignment.
Akhtar's commitment has been criticised in the media and by former
players after he injured his rib during the home Test series in
April against India, in which his bowling failed to live up to
expectations. The Pakistan Cricket Board has formed a medical
commission to assess the injury.
"He (Akhtar) must get on board our bus and the bus is going
forward," said Woolmer, who met Akhtar last week in England, where
the bowler is playing county cricket.
Woolmer, a past England Test cricketer, replaces his former on-field
adversary Javed Miandad, who was removed from the coaching position
last month.
The PCB hired the 56-year-old to guide the national team until the
2007 cricket World Cup in the West Indies.
Woolmer said he was not scared to seek the help of former Pakistan
players, including Miandad, in waking up the "sleeping giants" of
international cricket.
"Whoever would like to help I am very happy to have him on board,"
Woolmer said.
Woolmer said an open mind was essential in a successful coach.
"Your mind is like a parachute, if it doesn't open it doesn't work,"
said Woolmer, who is writing a book entitled 'Discovering Cricket'.
Woolmer, who coached South Africa for five years between 1994 to
1998, said it was a good challenge to coach the Pakistan team —
which has seen seven different coaches in the past eight years.
"Past is history. I can control what I can control. I can't control
what the other people do," he said. "I am going to do my job at the
best of my abilities and I hope it has positive effect on Pakistan
cricket."
Woolmer named Australia as the "main team" to beat in international
cricket.
"Australians are still at the top of the tree, certainly in the way
they play their game," he said.
"Before Pakistan can go to the top of the tree we've got to match
them, so that's the benchmark.
"It's a young side and they need to play a lot of cricket to get the
experience because you can't buy experience on the shelf of a
superstore," he said. "You have to go out and play."
Woolmer's first assignment is the Asia Cup in two weeks' time in Sri
Lanka, which will pit Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, India,
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka against each other.
The new coach said he wanted to discuss the selection process of the
Asia Cup team with captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and chief selector Wasim
Bari.
"I am a great believer to discuss selection process with the captain
and chief selector and create a climate where we don't miss out on
any good players.
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