Pakistan appoint Mudassar Nazar as academy head

KARACHI, May 8 (Reuters) Pakistan have selected former test player Mudassar Nazar to head their National Cricket Academy in Lahore, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official Saleem Altaf told Reuters today.

Nazar had been appointed as the new director while four to five other coaches would be announced soon, Altaf added.

''We also interviewed former captains Intikhab Alam and Mushtaq Mohammad for this position, but I think youth prevailed, the official said of the 50-year-old former test batsman's selection.

Nazar played 76 tests and 122 one-day internationals between 1976-89 as an opening batsman before coaching at the national academy for two years from 2001.

He also had a stint as coach of the Kenyan team.

The academy was launched in 2002 but ceased functioning last year and Altaf said the board was keen to reorganise the body and help groom young talent.

''We will have new programmes at the NCA on the lines of the academies in other countries,'' Altaf added.

Reuters AY GC1658