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Arjuna Ranatunga. ©REUTERS/Anuruddha Lokuhapuarachchi AL/CP Reuters / Picture supplied by Action Images |
Arjuna Ranatunga is a stockily-built left-handed batsman who led Sri Lanka to their greatest cricketing triumph, the 1996 World Cup.
His comments about Dav Whatmore ("the PCB should not appoint Dav Whatmore as their coach") may have played a part in changing the opinions of Pakistan players who then voted in favour of Geoff Lawson as their new coach. Ranatunga, 44, now a politician, may have been feeling sorry for Whatmore and is likely to issue a new statement, it is revealed:
"I shall be releasing a fresh statement about my earlier verdict about him", he said from Colombo.
"I think Lawson is a popular choice as some of the team members were not too keen on Dave Whatmore. Reasons best known to them as he has such a tremendous track record," former Pakistan captain Asif Iqbal said from Kent.
In the meantime more former Pakistan players (Sarfraz Nawaz and Moin Khan) have also expressed their displeasure over Lawson's appointment. However, Lawson is not disturbed by this criticism. On the contrary, he will be seeking these critics' inputs on cricket in Pakistan.
Miandad, amongst others, criticised Bob Woolmer when he was made a coach. "Let him contact me. I shall think at that time whether I would meet him," he said on Wednesday morning.
Miandad was the greatest Test run-scorer and scrapper Pakistan has ever produced. His street-fighting qualities almost led to a fight with Dennis Lillee at Perth in 1983-84, when Miandad raised his bat to strike in anger.
© Bipin Dani
India Correspondent
Cricket World 2007
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