MUMBAI: “Pakistan cricket team’s head coach Dav Whatmore is very much alive and kicking and reports about him suffering from ill health are absolutely baseless.” This was stated by Whatmore’s wife Katheryn on Thursday while speaking from Melbourne.

“Reports appearing in a recent media section about Dav being advised rest by a physician is all rubbish and we all laughed it off. It was nothing but a joke,” she said.

“It was a small matter which was blown out of proportion. Dav had some rashes on his skin and it was just casually shown to our Pakistani skin specialist friend Dr Saeed Jaffer in USA who had come to Sri Lanka to watch the World Twenty20 games,” said Katheryn.

“We merely had a chat at one of our friend’s house and media created so much hype out of it.”

“We were at pain to read the report which was also linked to Pakistan’s other foreign coach Bob Woolmer who died while coaching the team in the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies. I believe the newspapers have made good sale on these stories,” she said with a tinge of sarcasm.

“Dav is in Pakistan and has been watching local cricket there. He is working with the Pakistan team and he is quite good at his work but, of course, it takes time to have the effect of his magic,” she said.

Asked about Whatmore’s reaction to Pakistan’s loss in the World T20 semi-final, she said: “Yes, he was sad and tense when the team lost but he is fine otherwise.”

Apparently, Mrs Whatmore has not visited Pakistan since her husband took charge of the team.

“Yes, Pakistan is a beautiful country and I am very keen to visit it. I shall certainly visit Pakistan. It is a safe country and security issue has been blown out of proportion by the media,” she concluded.