PCB adds to confusion over Malik’s eligibility

Pakistan cricket chiefs have made no decision yet on disgraced former captain Salim Malik’s bid to become the national side’s batting coach, an official said Monday.

The 49-year-old Malik last week applied for the post, saying he was under no bar after a Pakistani court lifted his life ban for match fixing in October 2008, though the sport’s governing body has not publicly endorsed the ruling.

Malik was banned from cricket for life in 2000 by a judicial inquiry after Australian players Shane Warne, Tim May and Mark Waugh alleged Malik had offered them money to under-perform during their team’s tour to Pakistan in 1994.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf had effectively ruled out Malik’s appointment a few days ago saying: “Only those candidates will be considered who meet our eligibility process.”

But a PCB spokesman confirmed Malik, a dashing middle-order batsman in his day, had applied for the post and that there was no final decision on his appointment yet.

“Malik’s application was received last week and now it is up to the committee to choose the candidate for the job on merit and nothing has been finalised as yet on Malik by the committee or PCB chairman,” PCB spokesman Nadeem Sarwar said.

Pakistan last year formed a coaching committee under former captain and PCB director Intikhab Alam, with legendary batsman Zaheer Abbas, Naushad Ali and former captain turned commentator Ramiz Raja as members.

The panel earlier this year chose former Australian batsman Dav Whatmore as the head coach, Englishman Julian Fountain as fielding coach and former Pakistan paceman Mohammad Akram as bowling coach.

“The committee will also assess the credentials of Malik in a similar way as they assess the credentials of other candidates who have applied for the job and in Malik’s case they will also check whether he is eligible to take a cricket-related job,” the spokesman said.

Announcing his bid for the job on Friday, Malik said he was not put off by the fact he has no coaching badges — a requirement stipulated by the PCB.

Malik has been recently involved in private coaching but his failure to clear the lifting of the ban with the International Cricket Council (ICC) has been a hurdle in him taking a cricket-related job.

PCB had to reverse its decision of appointing Malik batting coach for their academy in Lahore in 2008 after the ICC reportedly objected