KARACHI: Mohsin Hasan Khan began his stint as Pakistan’s new chief selector by calling for Pakistan’s Twenty20 set-up and thinking to be divorced from the Test and ODI line-ups, arguing that cricket’s newest format had played havoc with Pakistan’s skills in the longer formats.

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Mohsin was appointed yesterday, taking over from Iqbal Qasim, who handed in his resignation after Pakistan’s winless tour of Australia. He becomes the third full-time chief selector in less than a year and though his first assignment will be to pick a squad of 15 for the World Twenty20 defense in the Caribbean in April, his real work, he said, will begin after that.

“My personal opinion is that Test cricket and ODI cricket should have no relation to Twenty20 cricket,” Mohsin said at the National Stadium in Karachi, echoing the belief of Mohammad Yousuf who said during the Australia tour that the format would “destroy” cricket in Pakistan.

“Twenty20 cricket should be totally separate apart from some outstanding players like Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Fawad Alam, Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul who fit into every format. But apart from these players, I would request the chairman to have a totally different set-up for the format. Twenty20 cricket has messed up our Test cricket skills and in ODIs we cannot bat even 50 overs.”

The terms of reference for his role and its parameters appear broad and flexible currently; no time limit is set on the job and the former Test opener even insisted that he would be more than willing to help out in a coaching capacity, an option he was initially keen on in his negotiations with the chairman.

“For two to three months I had been in direct talks with the chairman,” Mohsin said. “I said that if I do come back to the board then in two fields am I capable of giving something back to cricket, coaching or selection. The chairman called me yesterday and said he wants me to start with the selection committee right now.

“Coaching is still my first choice and I have told the chairman, I still feel physically fit enough to do it. I have said whenever you need my services in coaching department it is always there. In our top order batting we do have a problem, so I have said whenever you need my services I am ready.”

Pakistan’s chief selectors in recent years have had to deal constantly with problems over the ambit and nature of their role. The post has become, essentially a full-time, professional one, barring Qasim’s recent stint, which was in an honorary capacity.

But both Abdul Qadir and Salahuddin Mulla in recent years have faced issues over the apparent undermining of their authority and say in selection by the captain and coach. “The chairman has given me total authority,” Mohsin said.

“In selecting a team, there are three pillars and all have to take blame or credit: the selection committee, captain and coach. All three have to take responsibility. I want the captain and coach in the process, because they have to fight on the field.”

These issues will be discussed in a meeting with Ijaz Butt later in the week but Mohsin said he is more than happy to have no set time limit on his role.

“I have not asked for a specific time period. I will start and do the work and keep doing it until the board is satisfied with me and I am satisfied with them. People have had tenures before which they didn’t finish so I said to the chairman let’s not set a fixed time. Until I am doing well, until the board thinks I am doing well, fine. I don’t want to be a burden anywhere. You clap with two hands, not one. We will work together, how long for I don’t know.”

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Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed former captain Waqar Younis as a bowling and fielding coach for their tour of Australia.

Waqar Younis will replace Aaqib Javed as bowling coach. Waqar has been appointed as bowling coach for the second time. He remained bowling coach when Inzamam-ul-Haq was the captain.

Pakistan play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international on the tour of Australia, starting December 26 in Melbourne. During an illustrious career, Waqar took 373 wickets in 87 Tests and 416 in 262 one-day internationals. He also led Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup before retiring the next year.

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This could be the first time that young sensation Mohammad Aamer will have the wicket taking Mohammad Asif as his new ball partner when the Test Series against New Zealand kicks off tomorrow at Dunedin. Pakistan perhaps is going to have a winning combination with the new ball after quite sometime, may be this is potentially the best pair after Wasim-Waqar.

Pakistan most certainly will be going in with a combination of three pacers and a spinner in Saeed Ajmal. The third pacer to give back up to Aamer and Asif has got to be Umar Gul who is right now the fastest bowler in the Pakistani camp. Abdur Rauf has taken four wickets in the tour match against New Zealand Invitation XI but I suspect his chances of making it to the Dunedin Test are very low. Rauf is a predictable bowler as he has this funny way of showing the seam of the ball clearly to the batsman.

The Kiwis will have the real threat coming from the two As – Aamer and Asif. Both these bowlers are pretty good at bowling accuratley and do get a considerable amout of movement in and out off the seam. Asif is certainly a bowler close to Glen McGrath when it comes to the skills. The thing that flashes my mind when I think of Asif is the way he had gone through VVS Laxman’s gate in one of the Test matches with a magic off cutter.

It’s a pity that Asif had been out of international cricket due to all the wrong (non-cricketing) reasons. Hope he does justice to the wonderful talent that he has got in making the cricket ball talk the way he wants to! Guess what Mohammad Asif’s last Test was way back in October 2007. Fortunately enough he is just 26 years and will still get plenty of opportunities to make a name of himself in being one of the best bowlers in Test Cricket.

Mohammad Aamer has no doubt been the most consistent performer for Pakistan in any format of the game. He is just 17 years of age and has already won the hearts of many fans. I particularly remember a placard in UAE which was asking for Mohammad Aamer to be the Captain of the Pakistani team. The lad seems to be playing each and every game and may be he needs to be rested whenever there is an insignificant match around. Pakistan would do good if they can preserve this youngster and make sure that he lasts more than 10 years at the international level.

The third pacer for me is Umar Gul and he has to improve upon the consistency levels. At times, Umar Gul has this tendency of bugging his captain with plenty of no-balls. It’s a good challenge ahead of Umar Gul to prove that he is a better bowler than Asif and Aamer. Looks like there will be some kind of a healthy competition between the trio.

 I would like to see Saeed Ajmal play ahead of Danish Kaneria in the Test Series. Ajmal has plenty of variations up his sleeve and the confidence levels are high because of his recent successes against various teams. Bowling seems to be the strength of Pakistan like always. The batting department and fielding is what needs to be improved by a long way for Pakistan if they have to win Test Series abroad.

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NAWABSHAH: World record holder and former opening batsman Saeed Anwar said that there is no truth in the charges of match fixing on the Pakistan team but harmony is badly needed in the team.

Talking with journalists at the Press Club during his four-day tableeghi tour of Nawabshah, Saeed Anwar said that young Pakistan cricketers have great talent but they need training.

He said that if differences take place between the captain and the players then problems would be enhanced and Pakistan may get a bad name.

Saeed Anwar said that availability of good openers is a key to success of the teams and the Pakistan Cricket Board should focus on it.

He said that he is available if his services are required in this regard.

Saeed said that the Pakistan-India tension may be eliminated through cricket.

Jim Johnson Dead, Jim Johnson, whose attacking defenses helped the Eagles to one Super Bowl appearance and five NFC title games, has died. He was 68.

Johnson had taken a leave of absence from the team in May as he continued to battle a cancerous tumor on his spine. The Eagles announced his death on Tuesday afternoon.

A veteran of 22 years as an NFL assistant, Johnson was considered one of the top defensive minds in the league, known for complex schemes that confused opponents and pressured the quarterback from every angle. His defenses consistently ranked among the best in the league, including last season, when the Eagles finished third in total defense and fell one victory short of the Super Bowl.

From 2000-08, Johnson’s Philadelphia defenses ranked second in the NFL in sacks (390). During his 10-year tenure, the Eagles made the playoffs seven times and he produced 26 Pro Bowl selections.

Earlier this week, the team announced that Sean McDermott would replace Johnson, who had been Andy Reid’s only defensive coordinator in his 10 seasons as Eagles head coach.

In his first press conference as coordinator, McDermott gave full credit to Johnson.

“What haven’t I learned from Jim?” McDermott said. “I don’t think it would be fair to Jim, in this setting, to try and limit in one statement, one press conference, the effect that Jim has had on my life.”

McDermott paid Johnson the ultimate compliment in describing the style of defense he wanted the Eagles to play: Johnson’s style.

“There is one thing I know, and that is that this system, it works,” McDermott said. “Jim has spent a considerable amount of time in his coaching career researching and finding things that work and finding things that didn’t work, quite frankly, and I’m going to respect that and we’re going to build on that. From there, we’ll add wrinkles.”

Johnson had been treated for melanoma in 2001.

In January, he complained of back pain and coached from the press box in the Eagles’ playoff win over the New York Giants and in the loss to the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC championship.

An MRI after the divisional playoff win against the Giants on Jan. 11 alerted doctors that something might be wrong. Following the Arizona loss, the team announced the cancer had returned and Johnson would undergo more treatments.

Johnson had recovered sufficiently to coach during the team’s first post-draft minicamp in May. But he coached from a motorized scooter during practices and said he wasn’t certain he’d be able to return for the season.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin did not know Johnson, but admired him from afar.

“He was great to work with and for, and he had his priorities in order,” Coughlin said. “His players loved to play for him and his coaches loved to coach with him. It is a sad day for the National Football League to lose somebody the quality of Jim Johnson. It is a sad note on which to start the season.”

The Eagles said Reid and team president Joe Banner would be available Tuesday evening to talk about Johnson.

Johnson is survived by his wife, Vicky, two children and four grandchildren.

ISLAMABAD: All-rounder Shahid Afridi will lead the Pakistan cricket team in the next month’s Twenty20 international against Sri Lanka.

“Chairman PCB Ijaz Butt has appointed Shahid Afridi as captain for the Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka,”the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement on Wednesday.

Afridi will replace Younus Khan, who retired from 20-over game after leading Pakistan to win the Twenty20 World Cup in England last month.

Afridi, 29, was instrumental in Pakistan’s success in England, hitting an unbeaten 54 off 52 balls his side beat Sri Lanka in the final.

He has played in 23 Twenty20 internationals, scoring 371 runs at an average of 19.52, as well as claiming 33 dismissals at an impressive average of 15.57.

Pakistan will play Sri Lanka in a Twenty20 match on August 12 after a five-match ODI series.