Pak planning to sack coach, say reports

New Delhi: With Pakistan failing to qualify for the Asia Cup final, Geoff Lawson's tenure as coach may be numbered as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is contemplating replacing the Aussie with former captain Intikhab Alam, according to reports.

After Pakistan's average show in the past one year, the PCB might terminate Lawson's two-year contract. Lawson, who took over in July, 2007, did manage to take his team to the Twenty20 World Championships final but things fell apart thereafter. The PCB, according to sources, is not satisfied with Lawson's performance as coach and is planning to decide the Australian's fate in its next meeting.

The recent media furore over Lawson's comments seems to have added fuel to the fire. Even before he completes one year at the charge, Lawson has ticked off the media, officials and former and current players and his problem has been only aggravated with the team's not too impressive performance.

"Lawson's attitude and his temperament is now being scrutinised closely within the Board after recent happenings," said one source as reported in PTI

"The Australian has had several run-ins with the selectors as well as some former Test players working at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore," the source said.

"The senior official said at the meeting that there was nothing wrong if the Board released Lawson and accepted it was a mistake to appoint him as national coach," he added.

He said another official, after the recent tri-series in Dhaka, had also made the point what was the purpose of having a foreign coach and manager if the chairman had to send emails to motivate and shake up the players.

Sources also revealed his appointment over Dav Whatmore came as a shock. A senior official of the Board, himself a former Test player, had picked him for the job.

"The official has supported him in recent times but at the next governing body meeting, Lawson's tenure could be debated more openly by the members as there is already a talk about bringing back former Test captain Intikhab Alam," another well-placed source said.

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