Woolmer named as Miandad is sacked
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Former England test player Bob Woolmer has been named coach of the Pakistan national team on Wednesday following the sacking of Javed Miandad.
Woolmer, 56, a former coach for the South African national side, takes over on July 2 after Pakistan lost an historic test series 2-1 at home against archrival India in April.
Former batsman Miandad had nearly a year of his contract to run and said: "If I was not good enough, why was I brought in as coach last year?"
PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan said Miandad, who has served three times as Pakistan's coach, had asked to be replaced.
"He himself asked to get a release because he was not available for future assignments, and PCB has replaced him with Bob Woolmer," Khan told reporters.
"It was not easy to get a coach of Woolmer's status, who is a pioneer and highly respected, but through negotiations we have convinced him to take the job before the Asia Cup until the 2007 World Cup in West Indies," Khan added.
All four test cricket-playing teams on the subcontinent now have foreign coaches.
Bangladesh has former Australian test player Dav Whatmore, India has former New Zealand batsman John Wright, and Sri Lanka has former Australian player John Dyson.
Woolmer was an opening batsman for Kent and England who played 19 tests in 1975-81.
He later became a coach for English county Warwickshire before molding South Africa into a formidable side from 1994-99.
Since then, he has also served as the International Cricket Council's high performance manager, responsible for preparing associate member countries Canada, Netherlands, Kenya and Namibia for last year's World Cup.
Top consultation
"Woolmer's selection has been made after examining the panel of ICC coaches and after consultation with ICC," Khan said.
His immediate assignment for Pakistan is next month's Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, in which Bangladesh, Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates are the other participating teams. The tournament runs from July 15 to Aug 2.
Pakistan's training camp for the cup will be held in the eastern city of Lahore from June 28 for two weeks before the team travels to Sri Lanka.
Khan hailed Woolmer -- who was a pioneer of using computers to analyze players and opposition -- as an innovative coach.
"All cricket-playing nations of the subcontinent have contracted highly qualified professional coaches for their national squads and Woolmer will introduce advanced technological methods of coaching," Khan said.
Miandad, 47, Pakistan's highest-scoring test batsman ever, with 8,832 runs in 124 tests, was most recently appointed national coach in March 2003 for two years.
"I am always for my country and do not think about myself. It's part of the game," Miandad said. "We lost a close series against India and I told Shaharyar (Khan) whatever he thinks is better for the country he should do it.
"I hope Woolmer delivers the goods, but it's a different culture and I hope he succeeds."
