Pakistan sack coach Mudassar Nazar
IANS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2002 7:01:07 PM ]
COLOMBO: Stung by the humiliating loss to Sri Lanka in the opener of the Champions Trophy here, Pakistan on Sunday sacked coach Mudassar Nazar.
“Yes, I am leaving Colombo soon. I am just waiting for the confirmation of my plane tickets,” Nazar said, confirming reports from Rawalpindi that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had decided to replace him.
Nazar, however, refused to say who would take his place.
Asked if former coach Richard Pybus would get back the job, Nazar retorted: “How would I know?”
Pybus had been sacked after Pakistan lost the World Cup final to Australia in 1999.
Pakistan’s eight wicket loss to Sri Lanka on Thursday means they are virtually out of the 12-nation four-pool tournament as just one team from each of group goes through to the semi finals.
Pakistan play minnows Holland on September 21 but a victory would mean nothing as Sri Lanka, the third team in Pool 4, are likely to hammer the Dutch and make it to the last four.
The PCB has also recalled batsman Abdul Razzaq, who has been in poor form lately. It is not clear who will replace him, though there are indications that former skipper and wicketkeeper Moin Khan would get the nod.
According to reports here, the PCB held an emergency meeting following the Thursday match to take stock of the team’s performance in recent tournaments.
Pakistan’s main weakness of late has been the failure of its batsmen. Although it has perhaps the best and most varied bowling attack in the world today, this advantage has been nullified by the poor batting.
Last month, Pakistan failed to qualify for the triangular Morocco Cup one-day tournament held at Tangier. Sri Lanka won the title, beating South Africa in the final.
And just prior to the Champions Trophy, Pakistan shared the title with Australia in the one-day triangular tournament at Nairobi after rains prevented the final from being completed. Kenya was the third participating team.
An all-rounder, 46-year-old Nazar built up an impressive record while playing Tests and one-dayers for Pakistan between 1976 and 1989.
Turning out for 76 Tests, he scored a total of 4,114 runs for an average 38.09, his highest being 231. He also took 66 wickets at an average of 38.36, his best performance being 6-32.
Nazar played 122 matches in the shorter version of the game, scoring 2,653 runs for an average of 25.26. He was equally effective with the ball, taking 111 wickets at an average of 30.91.
The England born Pybus, 38, lives in South Africa. He has never played international cricket but turned out for minor counties in England for a decade.
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