LAHORE, Oct 27: Terming Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif key fast bowlers, Pakistan’s newly appointed cricket coach Intikhab Alam on Monday said that if remained fit, both could be useful for the national team.

“Asif is talented but a decision about his doping case is still pending. However, if he is cleared he can play match-winning role for the team. And if fit, Shoaib can play for Pakistan for another two years,” former Pakistan Test captain Intikhab told reporters here on Monday.

Shoaib had been making headlines due to his involvement in controversial affairs but Intikhab thinks the bowler can become disciplined if he is treated with kindness.

Intikhab, a veteran of 47 Test matches, was one of the members of the PCB anti-doping committee, which had penalised Shoaib for two years and Asif for one year in 2006 for their positive dope test. Later, the PCB’s Appellate Tribunal waived off the ban.

He stressed that a coach’s job is to keep his squad united, adding, otherwise, no team could win.

The coach picked restoration of confidence in players to bring them back on track as his most important task, saying he would like to spend long time with out-of-form players at nets.

Emphasising hard work and full utilisation of their potential as the areas for players to work on, Pakistan, Intikhab thought, can emerge as a tough side.

On the forthcoming three-match One-day International series against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi next month, Intikhab said he would watch the recent matches featuring the West Indies to prepare a strategy for winning the series.

He said no training camp is needed to select the squad for the Abu Dhabi series, adding the performance of players in the ongoing Pentangular Cup would be preferred.