October 23, 2001	Tuesday	Shaba'an 5, 1422

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KARACHI, Oct 22: A former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) supremo Monday claimed Javed Miandad had demanded sweeping powers when he was the coach of the national team in 1999.

“Miandad demanded complete authority to manage the team and that included players of his choice in the side,” former PCB chairman Khalid Mahmood said from Islamabad.

Miandad resigned in controversial circumstances immediately after the Sharjah Cup in April and just two weeks before the commencement of the World Cup. Miandad’s issue resurfaced Saturday when former captain Moin Khan told a one-man inquiry commission that the coach had raised suspicion of foul-play before the Sharjah Cup game again England — a claim admitted by Miandad Sunday.

But Khalid Mahmood, while admitting that Miandad’s relations had strained with some senior players, refused to reveal details which led to Miandad’s resignation.

He, however, revealed that Miandad had demanded sweeping powers to manage the team which was rejected outright.

“It was a sensitive issue because only a couple of days before he had levelled serious charges against some of the team members. The PCB council, however, decided against accepting Miandad’s demands,” said Khalid Mahmood.

The former PCB boss admitted that Miandad had conveyed his suspicion that some of the players were involved in match-fixing. “But he failed to provide any evidence. I had offered to change the entire team if Miandad substantiated his allegations.

“After levelling allegations, Miandad also demanded that inquiry against the players should be launched after the World Cup. But he was told in clear terms that the players would be thrown out immediately if he came up with any solid evidence,” he said, adding: “But Miandad didn’t come up with any proof and instead said he had been told by reliable sources that some of the players had sold out.”