'Worried' PCB to appoint permanent fielding coach for national squad - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Worried by the poor fielding performance by the cricketers especially during the ongoing Australian Test series, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to appoint a permanent fielding coach for the national squad. "Our fielding standards have been reasonably fair in recent times. But there is room for improvement and that is why we have decided to have a permanent coach. We have no problem appointing a foreign coach if he is suitable for the team," PCB chairman Ijaz Butt said. It may be noted that the PCB had recently appointed former fast bowler Waqar Younis as the bowling and fielding coach of the team for the Australian tour. Commenting on captain Mohammed Yousuf's remarks that too much of Twenty20 cricket would kill the other two formats of the game in Pakistan, Butt said it was Yousuf's personal opinion and he has every right to do so. "The fact is that we don't decide the international schedule, this is done by the ICC. But as far as the PCB is concerned we are trying to have a balanced mix of first class, one-dayers and T20 cricket matches domestically," The Dawn quoted Butt, as saying. "Even in Australia our team is playing just one T20 international. I think, it is all a question of players now adapting to the different formats of the sport," he added.