April 25, 2008	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 18, 1429

LAHORE, April 24: Pakistan’s talented young coach Mohsin Sheikh, whose services were suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last year, was honoured this week by the Indian Premier League (IPL) when he was hired as the analyst coach by the Rajashtan Royals team.

In a telephonic conversation from India, Mohsin told Dawn that he was working with head coach Shane Warne, the legendary Australian spinner, who is also the captain of the Rajasthan Royals.

“I am working at Jaipur with Rajasthan Royals and our head coach is Shane Warne,” said Mohsin. “I have joined the team in the capacity of performance analyst coach and am imcluded in the coaching staff during trainings and pre game warm-ups. I am also involved in devising strategies where I have to provide point on the weakness and strengths of the opposition and of our team at the end of each game.”

Mohsin added that he would be leaving for Brisbane, Australia to attend the Australian Cricket level III coaching course to be held there from May 4-9.

“After passing the level 3 course, I will become the first Pakistani to acquire this qualification from Australia,” Mohsin claimed.

After being relieved by the PCB, Mohsin joined a coaching assignment in an Australian state before he was picked by the IPL to work with the Royals.

As the youth coach at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) of the PCB, Mohsin had worked hard to remove the flaws of Pakistan opener Salman Butt and many other young players before he was shown the door for no valid reason.