PCB denies offering NCA coaching-job to Salim Malik

Lahore, Nov 6 (ANI): Perhaps under ICC pressure against a proposal to appoint former Pakistan Test captain Salim Malik as the head coach of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), the PCB last evening said that it never appointed or offered to appoint him as the coach.

Malik, who had a life ban for alleged involvement in match-fixing overturned last month, had said on Tuesday that he had accepted an offer from the PCB to become head coach at the NCA.

However, PCB's Director (Cricket Operations) Zakir Khan told reporters here at the Gaddafi Stadium that no formal offer had been made to Malik. "It is all misunderstanding. No offer was ever made to Malik to be head coach at the NCA. Some general and informal discussions were held on the issue with Malik and nothing more," the Daily Times quoted Khan as saying.

Malik said after a meeting with PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt he had agreed to take the job.

His public announcement led to the ICC saying it was not happy with the appointment and would seek an explanation from the PCB. "I spoke to the ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat and explained the situation to him," Zakir said.

Malik, who played 103 Tests, was banned by the PCB in 2001 on the recommendation of a judicial inquiry which carried out an 18-month investigation into allegations of match-fixing made against Pakistan players.

The inquiry commission recommended a life ban for Malik and fines for other senior players, including Wasim Akram, Inzamamul Haq and Waqar Younis.

Malik challenged his punishment in the courts and it was lifted last month, when a civil court judge said imposing the ban had been beyond the PCB's powers. The ICC has yet to ratify the court's ruling and officially allow Malik's return to cricket. (ANI)