Pakistan axe Aaqib as assistant coach
KARACHI: Pakistan’s cricket chiefs on Thursday continued to reshuffle the national team management when they removed former Test pacer Aaqib Javed as assistant coach in the lead up to the brief tour of Zimbabwe.
Soon after sacking Intikhab Alam as team manager, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has also decided to get rid of assistant manager Shahid Aslam.
Following the changes in the team management following the tour of West Indies, coach Waqar Younis has emerged as an all-powerful figure.
Reliable sources told ‘The News’ that Intikhab, Aaqib and Shahid Aslam have been taken off the team management due to a controversy that was triggered by the removal of Shahid Afridi as Pakistan’s limited-overs captain earlier this summer.
However, PCB has downplayed such reports with its chairman Ijaz Butt praising Intikhab’s performance as team manager.
“Intikhab Alam has done a commendable job as National Team Manager. His experience as a cricketer and as a cricket administrator is always a great help,” Butt said in a statement. “Being Director Game Development he is needed in Pakistan to execute game development plans. As we announce the team management on tour-to-tour basis so for Zimbabwe tour, Mr Naveed Akram Cheema is entrusted with this responsibility.”
A PCB official said that Aaqib has also been relieved of his duties as an assistant coach so that he can focus on development projects.
Intikhab, meanwhile, said he is looking forward to concentrating on training projects.
“At the moment my focus is the player development programmes. We have started academies programme in the country which many upcoming players are attending. (An) U16 talent-hunt programme is underway in more than 45 districts throughout Pakistan and we are working on some more programmes for the winter,” said the former Pakistan captain, who served as national team’s manager for almost three years.
Naveed Akram Cheema vowed to sow the seeds of harmony and unity in the national team.
“Our collective aim is to ensure that the team does well on the tour and that there is harmony and unity amongst the squad members. I will try to live up to the expectations of the Board.”
Colonel Waseem will serve as the security officer and assistant manager while Dr Sohail Saleem will travel with the team as physician and Saboor Ahmad as a trainer. Pakistan will begin their tour of Zimbabwe which will include one Test, three One-day Internationals and two Twenty20 games, with a warm-up match against a Zimbabwean XI in Bulawayo on August 28-29.
Soon after sacking Intikhab Alam as team manager, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has also decided to get rid of assistant manager Shahid Aslam.
Following the changes in the team management following the tour of West Indies, coach Waqar Younis has emerged as an all-powerful figure.
Reliable sources told ‘The News’ that Intikhab, Aaqib and Shahid Aslam have been taken off the team management due to a controversy that was triggered by the removal of Shahid Afridi as Pakistan’s limited-overs captain earlier this summer.
However, PCB has downplayed such reports with its chairman Ijaz Butt praising Intikhab’s performance as team manager.
“Intikhab Alam has done a commendable job as National Team Manager. His experience as a cricketer and as a cricket administrator is always a great help,” Butt said in a statement. “Being Director Game Development he is needed in Pakistan to execute game development plans. As we announce the team management on tour-to-tour basis so for Zimbabwe tour, Mr Naveed Akram Cheema is entrusted with this responsibility.”
A PCB official said that Aaqib has also been relieved of his duties as an assistant coach so that he can focus on development projects.
Intikhab, meanwhile, said he is looking forward to concentrating on training projects.
“At the moment my focus is the player development programmes. We have started academies programme in the country which many upcoming players are attending. (An) U16 talent-hunt programme is underway in more than 45 districts throughout Pakistan and we are working on some more programmes for the winter,” said the former Pakistan captain, who served as national team’s manager for almost three years.
Naveed Akram Cheema vowed to sow the seeds of harmony and unity in the national team.
“Our collective aim is to ensure that the team does well on the tour and that there is harmony and unity amongst the squad members. I will try to live up to the expectations of the Board.”
Colonel Waseem will serve as the security officer and assistant manager while Dr Sohail Saleem will travel with the team as physician and Saboor Ahmad as a trainer. Pakistan will begin their tour of Zimbabwe which will include one Test, three One-day Internationals and two Twenty20 games, with a warm-up match against a Zimbabwean XI in Bulawayo on August 28-29.
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