Miandad to mentor Pakistan batsmen ahead of World T20 – Cricket News Update
The Pakistan Cricket Board has hired services of former skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 T20 World Cup, commencing in Sri Lanka, from September 18.
Miandad, the director general of cricket in the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 sometime this week to join the national team in their preparations for the marquee tournament. However, he dismissed the media reports that he will be working with Hafeez and Men in the capacity of batting coach.
"I am not going there as a batting coach,” said the legendary Pakistan batsman, when asked to confirm his new role with the national team.
“I was told by the board chairman to go to Sri Lanka and have sessions with the players ahead of the World Cup,” he added further.
Batting has been Pakistan's major cause of concern of late. They struggled against the Sri Lankans in June-July before losing the ODI series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/United-Arab-Emirates-c3033, mainly because of their poor batting.
When asked about the lines on which he will be working over the next couple of weeks, the former Pakistan coach said that his focus would be on confidence building, maintaining that a batting coach can only work properly with the players when they are not involved in a tournament.
“I don't think during such a major tournament you can coach any player or change his batting technique," Miandad said.
"My main priority is to have pep talks with the players, to raise their spirits and confidence and work out with the batsmen in the nets, advise them on batting issues keeping in mind the requirements of the World Cup and conditions in Sri Lanka," Miandad added.
It is pertinent to mention here that Miandad, a veteran of 124 Tests and 233 ODIs, has coached the national team thrice in the past.
Pakistan team, the champions of the 2009 edition, have been placed in Group D, alongside http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747, and will start their cup campaign against the Kiwis, at Pallekele on September 23.
Hafeez and Co. is also scheduled to play two warm-up matches, against archrivals http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 a day later.
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