September 21, 2003	Sunday	Rajab 23, 1424

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LAHORE, Sept 20: Pakistan tennis coach, Rashid Malik, has slammed former Davis Cupper Jamil Ahmad, and said that the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) had appointed him (Rashid) as non-playing-captain of Pakistan and he did not appoint himself.

In a rejoinder, Rashid said that the statement given by Jamil was not at an appropriate time as Pakistan was playing an important tie against South Korea.

Rashid stated that if Jamil had any problems regarding Aisam-ul-Haq and Aqeel Khan’s physical fitness, he should not talk from drawing rooms and instead turn up at the training camp.

He said that PTF had offered him (Rashid) a job as coach for the Pakistan team which recently toured New Zealand and Japan for the Davis Cup tie but he refused because he was not fond of joyrides.

Rashid explained that no coach was ready to accept the assignment for Group-I tie and he only agreed against South Korea at the request of PTF.

Commenting on Jamil’s remarks about Aqeel’s cramps, which the player suffered in the first match of Davis Cup on Friday, Rashid said that he (Jamil) should remember his own playing days as he was also an injury-prone player.