Miandad appointed as Director General of Pakistan Cricket Board

Karachi: Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad was appointed as the Director General of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

A PCB spokesman said that Miandad will take over as the Board's DG with immediate effect.

Miandad replaced former Pakistan Test pacer Saleem Altaf, who was re-designated as PCB's chief operating officer earlier this month.

Miandad, 51, said that he was pleased to accept the job and he will give his best for the betterment of Pakistan cricket.

"Pakistan cricket is going through a tough phase but I'm hopeful that with an united effort we will come out of it," he said.

Miandad, who was one of the staunchest critics of former PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf, was reportedly offered the job of Pakistan coach by the new Board chief Ijaz Butt last month.

Miandad politely turned it down but told the PCB chief that he would be happy to work for the Board in another capacity.

Miandad is the third former Pakistani Test cricketer, who has been given an important position in the national cricket set-up by Butt, who himself is a former Test opener.

Altaf was made Chief Operating Officer while former Pakistan captain Intikhab Alam was appointed as the national team coach soon after Butt took over as the PCB chief.

Honour

Meanwhile, former Test leg-spinner Abdul Qadir has been named Pakistan's new chairman of selectors, the PCB said.

PCB chairman Ejaz Butt told reporters in Islamabad that Qadir, who played 67 tests and 104 one-day internationals, had been appointed chairman of the selection committee.

"Abdul Qadir is going to be the new chief selector and the rest of the members will be decided later," Butt said.

The 53-year-old Qadir said he had been asked about his availability and had little hesitation accepting the post.

"It is a big honour and task for me and the aim of the selectors should be to pick the best national side and also give exposure to new talent." He said.

The PCB had appointed an interim selection committee to pick the squad for the recent one-day series in Abu Dhabi against the West Indies.

Sources said two other former test players, Saleem Jaffer and Shoaib Mohammad, would also be on the new selection committee.

Butt, who took over as chairman last month, said he had set targets for everyone on the board.

"Our primary target for the first year is that Pakistan climb into the top three rankings in any two forms of the sport; Test, one-day internationals or Twenty20 cricket," he said.

He made it clear that if this target was not fulfilled he would resign.

Miandad, who was one of the staunchest critics of former PCB chairman Ashraf, was reportedly offered the job of Pakistan coach by the new Board chief Ijaz Butt last month...