ISLAMABAD, Oct 21: Former Test batsman Mohsin Khan believes coach Geoff Lawson will be expected to produce good results even after the Pakistan Cricket Board decided not to renew his contract after April next year.

“Pressure will be a lot on him,” Mohsin said on Tuesday.

Ijaz Butt — the chairman of the PCB — made it clear that Lawson’s two-year contract will not be renewed after it expires.

Pakistan are scheduled to play three One-day Internationals against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi next month before the scheduled three Tests, five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 International at home against India in Jan-Feb 2009.

“India are not the team which they used to be 10-12 years ago, now it’s among the top teams of the world so it will be a big pressure series for Lawson,” Mohsin said. “He is the best judge for himself and maybe he takes the series against India as a challenge.”

Another former captain, Aamir Sohail, thought Lawson should accept it as a challenge after two losing Test series since the former Australian fast bowler replaced the late Bob Woolmer as Pakistan coach.

“If he is a thorough professional, he should take it as a challenge and prove others wrong,” Aamir said. “I don’t think Lawson would be less motivated in the important series against India and he should accept Mr Ijaz Butt’s decision as a challenge for him.”

Former PCB chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf appointed Lawson for a two-year term in July last year and also named Shoaib Malik as captain until December 2008.

“It was a daring decision of the PCB to pair Malik with Lawson,” Aamir said. “There was no planning, no goals. Malik was a novice as captain and the PCB should have appointed a coach who was seasoned enough to know about our cricketing culture.

“Lawson himself was coming on his first major [coaching] assignment in Pakistan and I think it was a wrong pairing.”

Under Lawson’s stewardship Pakistan have lost Test series at home against South Africa and in India last year. Pakistan also failed to qualify for the final of the Asia Cup limited-overs tournament at home in June and July. Earlier this month, Shoaib Malik’s team lost the four-nation Twenty20 tournament in Toronto, surrendering to Sri Lanka in the final.

Intikhab Alam, Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup winning coach and also a former captain, said that Lawson should leave Pakistan team’s coaching job.

“I think it’s better he should quit himself,” Intikhab advised Lawson.

Ijaz decided not to terminate Lawson’s contract immediately, claiming the pay out would cause huge financial losses for the PCB.—AP