Saleem Malik applies for batting coach job

By Tasawwar Abbas

Should PCB takes benefit from experience of Saleem Malik?

LAHORE, Pakistan (TheSportsNEXT) October 25, 2012: Former Pakistan captain Saleem Malik has applied for the post of batting coach for national cricket team claiming he was not barred any longer.

Talking to local media on Thursday, Saleem Malik, who was a formidable middle-order batsman, said, “I am cleared and my life ban was lifted four years ago. I am cleared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) so I can now be involved in any cricket related activity.”

The PCB had banned 49-year-old Saleem Malik in 2000 in the light of an inquiry conducted by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum which found him guilty of offering bribes to Australian cricketers in return of losing matches.

Three Australia cricketers Mark Waugh, Shane Warne, and Tim May had alleged that Saleem Malik had offered them huge sum of money to underperform during Australia tour to Pakistan in 1994.

Despite of getting banned by the local court, Saleem Malik always denied the charges pleading his innocence. Malik was also named in an inquiry conducted by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in India which resulted in life bans for former skipper Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Sharma.

Saleem Malik found some respite in October 2008 when a Lahore court lifted life ban on him but the verdict was never endorsed by the ICC who is still persistent in stopping the PCB from appointing him at any position.

Saleem Malik was a classy batsman for Pakistan and scored 5,768 runs from 103 Test matches besides scoring 7,170 runs from 283 One Day Internationals and he knows what it takes to be a good batsman.

Pakistan cricket is in need of good batsmen as the recent breed has failed to keep up with the international standards and led Pakistan to a number of defeats especially in the overseas series and tournaments.

Earlier this month, the Pakistan Cricket Board advertised the position of batting coach to help local batsmen get over their vulnerabilities in international cricket.

For a cricketer of Saleem Malik’s experience, coaching certificates don’t really matter but the real question remains on his character which has a tainted history of controversies.