Miandad declines PCB offer

KARACHI, July 7: Former captain Javed Miandad has declined to take up a 15-day assignment at the regional academies. "I received a letter last week but I have conveyed that I am not free. I have pressing domestic commitments," Javed said.

Javed was `directed' by Ramiz Raja to give batting tips to youngsters at Muridke (July 15 to 22) and Rawalpindi (July 22 to 29) for which he would be paid Rs50,000 weekly.

"It is not that I think I have been offered nothing as compared to my stature. Its simple that I am not free," Javed said. He added: "Before offering the job, the PCB should have first sought my availability."

Zaheer Abbas and Hanif Mohammad have been offered identical assignments by the PCB. Zaheer will take over the regional academy at Peshawar while Hanif will take charge at Karachi from Monday.

Ironically, Englishman Geoffrey Boycott last year was hired for 15 days at 30,000 pounds sterling at 2,000 pounds sterling a day.

The deal was negotiated by Ramiz Raja who now is trying to save PCB funds by getting Pakistan legends Miandad and Hanif who were far better cricketers than Boycott at a throw-away price.