PCB chairman in a fix on choice between Mohsin and Whatmore

The PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf is in a dilemma whether to retain interim coach Mohsin Khan on a permanent basis or go ahead with discussions to finalise a deal with Australian Dav Whatmore.

Under Mohsin, Pakistan have won three Test series against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and England and there has been a considerable amount of support for the former Pakistan opener.

A few eyebrows were raised when Ashraf while praising Misbah for his captaincy not for once took Mohsin's name raising speculations about whether he wants the former opener to continue.

"It is strange that the PCB chief didn't even once mention Mohsin's name although he (Mohsin) himself after the match told reporters that he was still interested in continuing on permanent basis and wanted the job," former Test player, Iqbal Qasim said.

Many people in Pakistan's cricket fraternity have widely credited the combination of Misbah and Mohsin for building on the good work done by former coach Waqar Younis and bringing stability and contentment to a Pakistan dressing room that is so often driven by conflict.

Waqar resigned in September due to personal and health reasons and since then Misbah and Mohsin have struck a winning partnership but the PCB has been openly engaged in finding Mohsin's successor.

On Saturday, when asked if he wanted a full-time job after the series win over England, Mohsin said,"I don't want anybody to take me for granted although I am always available to serve my country. People were saying that performing well against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh was nothing great, okay agreed, but to perform against England, whether they are No. 1 or not, is always creditable."

It is no secret that the coaching committee headed by Intikhab Alam had recommended Whatmore as the next head coach of the team.

But at the same time former Test captain and a senior official in the board, Javed Miandad, has admitted that the final decision on the coach has to be taken by the board chairman.

"The committee might have recommended anyone but at the end of the day it is the PCB Chairman who has to take the final decision," Miandad said.

Former Test captain Zaheer Abbas, who is also a member of the coaching committee, also stressed that the committee can only make a recommendation, the final decision lies with the Chairman.

"He has the final authority to either accept or reject our recommendation," Zaheer said, without elaborating who the committee had recommended.