Shaharyar Khan appointed as World Cup team manager
(Updated at 1830 PST)
LAHORE: Former Foreign Secretary Shaharyar Khan was on Tuesday appointed as the manager of the Pakistan World Cup team for the 2003 global event scheduled to take place in February-March in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya.
He is a keen cricket enthusiast and was also manager of the Pakistan team that toured India in early 1999.
good news :k:
Brig Nasi was being stupid i heard.
Good. :)
Shaharyar to focus on team discipline
Shaharyar to focus on team discipline
By our correspondent
KARACHI: Pakistan’s designated manager for the World Cup, Shaharyar Khan has stressed that his main priority would be to maintain discipline in the team and also provide such conditions and atmosphere in the team in which the players give their best for the country.
The former Foreign Secretary said he was looking forward to his second assignment with the Pakistan team.
“Cricket is a passion for me. I love the game. I am also looking forward to this assignment as the nation has a lot of expectations from the team in the World Cup,” he added.
Shaharyar also accompanied the Pakistan team on their turbulent tour of India in 1999 which later proved to be a diplomatic and cricket success due to his astute handling of the players and the Indian media and officials.
The retired career diplomat pointed out that Pakistan had a formidable bowling attack and stood a very good chance of making the knockout stage.
“In One-day cricket it is very difficult to predict an outright winner. But I can say this much our team is a firm favourite for the title.”
Shaharyar made an interesting point that in the previous seven World Cup tournaments, neither the home side nor the favourite team had won the title.
“I don’t think Pakistan should be rated behind Australia or South Africa. Our team should have nothing to fear from them but yes give them the respect their cricket prowess demands.”
Shaharyar stressed he would lay emphasis on discipline in the team as he had done in 1999.
"But I also have to ensure the players don’t feel suffocated. For them a different brand of discipline with responsibility is required.
But what I will try to ensure is that there is an conducive atmosphere in the team and dressing room in which every player and official realises his responsibility and wants to do his best for the country as a unit."
He said from his previous experience in 1999, the Pakistan players were well behaved and responsible individuals who wanted to do well for the team and country.
“I have worked with most of the players on the 99’ Indian tour and got to know them well. I expect lot of cooperation from them.”
The latest interview is interesting:
Shaharyar pledges to give Pakistan team turn-around
By our correspondent
KARACHI: Shaharyar Khan, manager-designate of the Pakistan cricket team for the 2003 ICC World Cup held a marathon meeting with Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Lt Gen Tauqir Zia on Monday at the Gaddafi Stadium.
And the results from the three and half an hours long meeting indicated that the PCB has done the sensible thing by bringing in Shaharyar Khan on such a important position given the state of affairs in the Pakistan team and the general culture of Pakistan cricket.
The former foreign secretary and high commissioner in India sources say made it clear to Tauqir Zia that he was not in favour of having a large contingent of officials in the World Cup squad.
The second most important point he made was that he is confident of reuniting the Pakistan players and removing any differences between them and the captain Waqar Younis, which is said to be one of the causes for the team’s recent poor performances.
Lt Gen Tauqir Zia and Mr Shaharyar Khan also exchanged notes on the officials accompanying the team for the World Cup.
“The list of officials was prepared keeping in mind the December 31, 2002 deadline set by the International Cricket Council. But at no stage it was said that the nine officials would accompany the team.”
“The number of officials was discussed with the manager and he has given his mind. After the tour budget of the officials is done, the PCB will inform the sponsors who will take care of their (officials) lodging and boarding,” the press release quoted the PCB Chairman.
More importantly Tauqir said in the release: “The job description of the officials has also been done in consultation with the manager so that there is no trespassing by anyone. The manager will have complete powers and my support. He is empowered to take any decision, according to the situation, on my behalf.”
Which means that in all probability the number of officials should be reduced before the team leaves for South Africa and secondly even if the number remains the same, the manager has been given complete powers to ensure they don’t infringe anyone’s area of responsibility and authority.
Something which is feared given the attitude problems of some of the officials named and the fact that the area of work of some of them clashes directly.
For example Dennis Waight and Dr Tauseef Razak. Sources disclosed that the General had discussed in detail the current situation in the team and the players problems with Waqar. The possibility of changing the captain even at this late change for the World Cup was considered, but Shaharyar told Tauqir that their was time on hand to remove the problems and differences in the team and he knew from personal experience that the players could be very reasonable and cooperative if handled properly and with respect.
He opined that he was very confident that the selected squad was a strong and balanced one and if everything went well and everyone played to his potential, there was no stopping Pakistan from reaching the semi finals.
However on the possibility of removing Waqar as captain, sources say, it has been decided that Shaharyar and Tauqir will as a first priority hold meetings with the players and work things out with them.
The press release gave a clear indication of this: "Mr Shaharyar was briefed in detail about the players contract and the Code of Conduct for the tournament.
"The Chairman of the PCB, Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, briefed the former diplomat on the complete scenario of the team and the players in the last couple of years.
“Mr Shaharyar assured the PCB Chairman that he would try his best to live up to expectations. He informed the PCB Chairman that he knew 10 of the 15 players from the 1999 tour when he was the manager of the team that toured India.”
“He said he was confident that he would reunite the players and will succeed in motivating them for the mega event,” the release read.
One source stated that a contingency plan had been prepared that if the atmosphere in the team didn’t improve and if the differences between the players and their captain were not removed completely.
Shaharyar it is confirmed also supported the PCB decision not to allow the players to have their wives accompanying them to the World Cup.
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So what we’ve been saying all along that Waqar has not got the confidence of at least a big part of the squad has been borne out here. We need to get rid of him before the world cup, we can’t take any chances on him ruining the morale in that tournament.
Agreed :k:
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
.....
So what we've been saying all along that Waqar has not got the confidence of at least a big part of the squad has been borne out here. We need to get rid of him before the world cup, we can't take any chances on him ruining the morale in that tournament.
[/QUOTE]
Wasim is trying to remove the ban on his captaincy, while Waqar has already been announced the captain of the team for world cup. Even if Wasim is successful in getting rid of the ban, would it be suitable at this point of time to change captain?
How many players have confidence in Waqar and how many in Wasim would be a question to decide the one.
Who was the captain in World Cup 1999? Wasim Akram, and we saw the most disappointing World Cup Final, I do not have any hopes with Waqar younis at all, in fact not hopeful for Pakistan playing a final at all with any captain. What do you guys think?
From World Cup 1999 Final team, we have following players still playing for the team:
1- Saeed Anwar, Abdur Razzaq, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Azhar Mahmood, Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Akhtar
Those who were sidelined from Final 1999:
2- Mushtaq Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Waqar Younis, Yousuf Youhana
For World Cup 2003, following are the new added:
3- Taufiq Umer, Saleem Elahi, Younis Khan, Rashid Latif, Mohammad Sami
Waqar?
Where were you guys when I opened a thread regarding PCB’s Stupid Selection?
Break this down:
Waqar is a Captain because PCB made him. Yeah…