Search for new Pakistan coach begins

Former manager Intikhab Alam, ex-Test wicketkeeper Naushad Ali and erstwhile captain Zaheer Abbas have been named in a three-man committee appointed by the Pakistan Cricket Board to search for a new coach, while former batsman Ramiz Raja will assist the trio.  Waqar Younis stepped down the post earlier this month, citing personal reasons for his resignation, but said he will continue in his job through the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe.  The 39-year-old former fast bowler took over as coach in March 2010, but has since faced controversies including the spot-fixing scandal in England last year that led to lengthy bans for Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Amir and Salman Butt, dissent from players and differences with former ODI captain Shahid Afridi.  Younis' predecessor, Geoff Lawson last week insisted that Pakistan should appoint a foreign coach.  Australian Lawson succeeded Bob Woolmer as coach of Pakistan, taking over in July 2007 in the wake of Woolmer's untimely death, but failed to last even 18 months in the job after finding himself at loggerheads with the PCB.  The Pakistan board said in a statement on Monday that they will "look for coaches both from within and outside Pakistan", with the committee set to start their search next week.  Former Bangladesh and Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore, current Pakistan batting coach Ijaz Ahmed and assistant coach Aqib Javed are believed to be in the running for the job.  "Whether it is Dav Whatmore or any other foreign coach we are not discounting out anyone. Whatmore is working in India but obviously we can have talks with him," concluded chief operating officer Subhan Ahmad.