KARACHI, 20 May 2004 — The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said yesterday they wanted embattled coach Javed Miandad to remain in the job until his contract expires in April 2005, though Miandad is unsure whether he wants to continue.
“He will remain our coach that is decided. We lost the home series to India but he has done a good job in the rebuilding process,” chairman Shaharyar Khan said yesterday.
Miandad, who has come under pressure since Pakistan lost their recent one-day and Test series to neighbors India, said he was unsure about continuing.
“To be honest I have to think again about my position. I have been hurt with the way everyone has reacted including the board after just one series defeat when the team has done well in the last year,” Miandad told Reuters. The board said last month that Inzamam ul-Haq would continue as captain but refrained from doing the same with Miandad, raising suggestions it was looking for a replacement, and the coach said he would need to discuss his future with them.
“It is an honor to coach the Pakistan team. But I can’t understand the board’s lack of support in the face of criticism when it knows we have started building up a good team,” he said. “Just one series loss and such a hard reaction. And why put my credibility and hard work under the microscope.”
Miandad was appointed after Pakistan were eliminated in the first round of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. Pakistan next play in the six-nation Asia Cup one-day tournament in Sri Lanka in July before the Champions Trophy tournament in England and an end-of-year tour of Australia.
