Pakistan seek coaching inspiration

Former Pakistan captains Hanif Muhammad and Javed Miandad have been asked to help coach the Test team ahead of next month's tour to Zimbabwe.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has invited 68-year-old Hanif and 45-year-old Miandad, two of Pakistan's greatest batsmen, to work with the squad in camps at Karachi and Lahore.

"The (Pakistan Cricket) Board asked me would I be interested in giving some tips and working with the batsmen who have been selected for the Zimbabwe tour and I said no problem," Miandad told Reuters.

The Pakistan team were humiliated 3-0 by Australia in a series in Colombo and Sharjah this month. They were bowled out for their lowest Test scores of 59 and 53 in the second Test.

In one-day tournaments held in Colombo, Nairobi and Tangiers, the Pakistani batsmen also struggled for runs.

"The idea is basically that myself and Hanif Muhammad should work individually with the players and try to see if they are making basic mistakes and sort it out," Miandad said.

"The time is very short for us to really work properly but we will do our best," the veteran of 124 Tests said.

The PCB announced earlier on Monday it would fine players who perform badly or show up unfit in future.

Players would lose 20 percent of their match fees for every match lost but receive a bonus of the same amount for every game won.

Mail Cricket Editor