Miandad decides against going with Pak team to NZ to avoid “conflict” with Waqar

LAHORE - Pakistan cricket team’s batting consultant Javed Miandad has said that he has decided against travelling with the national squad to New Zealand to avoid a conflict-like situation with head coach Waqar Younis.

“I have full confidence in the abilities of Waqar Younis and if there will be two men dealing with the players, it may cause a conflict. So, I have decided not to go with the team and prefer to give coaching tips to the players in the training camp here,” the Dawn quoted Miandad, as saying, while talking to reporters before the start of the training camp’s second session at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

“I believe that in cricket, you can’t go with two minds. As captain and coach in my time, I always preferred to make single-minded decisions because having two minds on anything can never be successful,” he added.

The PCB had offered Miandad, currently the Director General of the board, to take up the additional assignment of batting consultant for the tour of New Zealand, starting from December 17. Initially he expressed his reservations over working under Waqar, but later changed the mind and joined the training camp to give batting tips to batsmen.

“This country gave me a lot and now it is time for us to give it back what we have learned. I am always ready to do something for the country’s cricket and this is one such occasion,” he said.

“In the recent past I had coached the national team before a tour of South Africa and also gave my services for the emerging talent. I am available to even work at the grassroots level,” he maintained.

When asked what kind of faults he had noticed in the Pakistan batsmen’s techniques, Miandad said that there was room for improvement in every player, as no one was perfect.

“No one is perfect and every player has to learn with every passing day. These boys are good cricketers, but as it is difficult to judge one’s own weaknesses, others can point them out better and improve them. I think our batsmen just need to be tuned up and I hope they will make improvement in their game after my coaching,” he said.

About the upcoming series in New Zealand, Miandad said that he believed that Pakistan had the potential to defeat any team. “But for that to happen, every member will have to perform on the field and play with responsibility,” he said.

The former Pakistan great also said that he was expecting good batting pitches in New Zealand, and advised the players to remain focused on their game.

“I hope the wickets at Christchurch and Eden Park and other venues are conducive for batsmen. But our batsmen will have to read their bowlers carefully,” he said.

To a question about Pakistan’s chances in the 2011 World Cup, Miandad diplomatically said, “The team which clicks on the day will be the winner and that is what the one-dayers are all about.”

He, however, acknowledged that that Pakistan “must do well in New Zealand to enter the World Cup in right frame of mind.” (ANI)