Dec. 8: Former Pakistan skipper Javed Miandad was back on the cricket field on Wednesday as the national training camp began here at the Gaddafi Stadium for the team’s preparation for the upcoming New Zealand tour.
Miandad spent about three hours with the players, guiding them in the nets and helping them with the fielding drills on the first day of the camp, with an eye on the 2011 World Cup. “It is wonderful to be back with the boys in the field. It is an honour for me to help Pakistan cricket whenever I am needed and I will make myself available whenever asked for,” Miandad told the media.
“I am looking forward to working with the team over the next few days. They are all very energetic and enthusiastic. I am confident that before they depart for their important tour of New Zealand I would be able to help them fine tune their batting techniques,” he added.
The former Test captain’s appearance in the camp was a sigh of relief for the Pakistan Cricket Board as earlier Miandad had expressed his reservations over working under the supervision of head coach Waqar Younis.
However, he is yet to decide on accompanying the team to New Zealand later this month and an official of the Board said that Miandad had told the chairman of PCB, Ijaz Butt, that he would inform him about his decision to go to New Zealand in a few days time.
Miandad was made the coach the national team thrice but each time his tenure ended in acrimonious circumstances. He is still considered as the best cricketing brain in the country.