Miandad refuses Afridi’s request to join Pak team to New Zealand

KARACHI - Former Pakistan cricket captain and coach Javed Miandad has turned down a request from the national team’s one-day captain Shahid Afridi to accompany the team to New Zealand.

Miandad, who has been appointed as the batting consultant of the national team by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), is working with the players in the ongoing national camp in Lahore but has declined to accompany the players to New Zealand.

“Afridi had a talk with me and he asked me to reconsider my decision not to go to New Zealand. He said that my presence would be of great help to the players in New Zealand,” the Daily Times quoted Miandad, as saying on Sunday.

He added: “But I have told him it is not possible for me to go to New Zealand because of a number of reasons.”

Miandad said he wanted to give the national team head coach Waqar Younis complete space to get things done his way.

“I don’t think it would be fair on Waqar if I am with the team, because If I am there, then I obviously will have my say,” he added.

He said it would be confusing for the players to respond to former captains and coach. (ANI)