On his role as Manager and chances of taking up coaching position for Pakistan:
Having been a cricketer, I think it’s important for me to attend matches at the ground. I am the team manager so I will try to help the team as much as possible at the ground. If there is a specific requirement for coaching then I’ll interfere, otherwise I think everyone should stick to the roles delegated to them and their job descriptions.
There’s a long time before I think about that (contract renewal) and this is the first time in a while that I have been involved with the Pakistan team so let’s see. As you know I also run my own academy so it won’t be easy. Things will need to settle down, I don’t think this is the time for me to comment on whether I will be a coach also during my time with the team. For now I feel Dav Whatmore is doing his job and the board will make a decision when his contract ends.
We naturally always criticise when someone does not perform well in the job given to him. If he continues to do so then I will need to interfere as this is the job given to me by the chairman of the PCB. As I’m the boss of this touring team, I can always interfere but I will not criticise him in the media. The only reason to criticise someone in the media is so that he improves, and being a Pakistani and an ex-captain it’s my duty to give constructive criticism. Whenever I’ve spoken in the media I’ve always tried to give constructive criticism so the coach can get the positive message.
The boss can interfere with anything to do with the team, the boss is the manager. I am the chair of the selection committee and the tour manager, so I can interfere wherever I feel something is not being done right.
On team selection for Zimbabwe Tour
I think an excellent team has been selected. They are excellent, sensible players. As far as my interaction goes with the boys, they just need to work on their sense of responsibility, I don’t think you can enforce anything on them to maintain discipline. They are all cricketers and they all need a comfort level, which I am ready to give them. However, I will not compromise on discipline, the SOPs of discipline, if anyone violates this, I will not tolerate it.
Right now I am not the chief selector, I’m the manager for the time being. Only the best players for Pakistan will be selected for this team, and because I have no direct responsibility with selection but if asked for a suggestion, I always try to get the best players for Pakistan that have performed in domestic cricket and international league only those players should be chosen for the team.
On complacency setting in for tour of Zimbabwe
Yes, they are a weak team [Zimbabwe] but I don’t see it that way. I remember my bad experience from 1999, I was the Vice Captain of the World Cup team and we lost to Bangladesh. There were many stories after that about the loss, but personally I felt we took them too lightly, that’s why we lost that match. Since that day I have learned the lesson, despite the ability of your opponent, never underestimate them because on that day any team can have an edge on you. Zimbabwe has been playing a lot of international cricket. They just lost against India, and that wasn’t even India’s best team, but they have definitely must have gained experience from this. But, whichever team wants to learn and wants to improve - they attack their opponents despite the level of the opposition. We will do our best not to take any team lightly and God willing we will play with all of our potential, and we will do our best to win every match.
Team Discipline and his view on dealing with such issues
As a manager, there have been no disciplinary issues. If you’re asking about his [Sarfraz Ahmed’s] performance, then please ask the selectors.
My health is fine but maybe my mood is coming across as unwell to you! Whoever has spent time with me knows, that’s why I am here and the PCB has selected me. They have selected me based on my ability. This not a role for everyone, there’s a lot of responsibility with this job. So as I was saying, I may come off as overly strict, but inside I’m a kind person, and a normal human being.
Look, there are two ways of doing this. Wherever it’s not working, you have to be strict, but if you can explain and make the task happen with without that, and there is no need for unnecessary pressure for this team. Wherever I see the need for softness, it will be there but if things go out of hand or there is some indiscipline then I will have to impose rules accordingly.
The tour has an SOP that needs to be followed by the team and by the management. The officials for the tour are also involved and no one can violate the SOPs of the tour. In a good environment, I doubt that it will be violated, but yes if it happens, action needs to be taken.
Because everyone knows Pakistan is going through a delicate phase as far as cricket is concerned. There’s no international cricket and the earlier spot fixing cases were bad. So this is not just about me, but I request all the media as well to take responsibility and avoid creating unnecessary things because that is what is best for the nation, God Willing. I will do my best to make sure there will be no violations that ruin the name of Pakistan cricket again.
Overnight, it is impossible to create results. It takes time and will take time. People will come. But, I am sure that all the cricketers are doing a lot of hard work and through this you will get quality cricketers. My academy has only been running for two years, Rashid Bhai’s academy has been running for three-four years, and it has already produced good cricketers. There are many other people with academies in Karachi and Multan. I haven’t visited those academies yet, but grounds and facilities are available for these cricketers, whoever practices will do well. So, God willing in the time to come you will see good cricketers, and there is a procedure for this. Overnight, an academy cannot give you a good cricketer, it takes time, it takes years, they practice and then they become good cricketers.
For the time being, I have had no complaints about any disciplinary issues. The boys are aware of the SOPs and the routine work. You are aware that in the camp we have limited resources and weather has been an issue, despite that the boys have utilized the time well. They have been in gym training sessions, and indoor sessions, so I haven’t seen any violations. So, just sense of responsibility needs to be created so that they value their duty. That is all. I don’t have any strict strategy for them, as long as they do well for Pakistan and are within their limits, I am happy.
Umar Akmal’s fitness issues
Umar Akmal’s report came from the West Indies. A doctor’s report. The selectors decided that Sarfaraz Ahmed is to be taken with the team, I don’t know what condition [Umar] is in, once he comes back he will be examined. Sohaib Maqsood is fit, totally fit MashAllah.
This is definitely important. It is that kind of opposition where, yes we consider them weaker than us, and this will be in the mind of the players. This is an opportunity for youngsters to improve their careers and relieve themselves of the pressure and atmosphere of international cricket, so that they can groom themselves.