Miandad, Alam at loggerheads over Champions Trophy preparations

Lahore, Sep.2 (ANI): A controversy seems to be brewing up between Pakistan cricket coach Intikhab Alam and batting advisor Javed Miandad regarding the team's training methods ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy.

While Miandad has asked pitch curators to prepare a green track with extra width at the Gaddafi Stadium for the conditioning camp beginning today (Wednesday),Alam wants o see the players practice on all types of pitches during the conditioning camp. Alam was in favour of sporting tracks which encourage both bowlers and batsmen.

"It is no secret that some senior players and Intikhab are a bit worried with the involvement of Miandad in the preparations for the Champions Trophy, as Miandad is a hard task master and believes in 100 percent commitment on part of the players. Miandad belongs to the old school of thought of cricket and believes that cricket is played on the field and in the mind," The Daily Times quoted PCB insiders, as saying.

Sources said Miandad also wants to accompany the team to South Africa for the eight nations Champions Trophy which could further worsen the situation.

Altercations between Miandad and Alam are not new.

Alam, the then coach, was dead against including Miandad in the final eleven during the 1996 World Cup.

"It is no secret that Intikhab didn't want Miandad in the team in the 1996 World Cup but had to bow down to pressure from the government. He was also instrumental in getting Miandad dropped for the tour of Sri Lanka before the World Cup," sources said. (ANI)