PCB sacks coaches Sabih, Taimoor without show-cause notices

ISLAMABAD: In an unprecedented move, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has terminated services of two leading highly qualified and most decorated of domestic coaches Sabih Azhar and Taimoor Azam without mentioning any genuine reasons or without issuing them the show-cause notices.

Former first class cricketer of a caliber Sabih Azhar recently been adjudged as the top coach in evaluation process conducted by the Board. Surprisingly a month later, the best coach is now shown the door, leaving a big question mark over the PCB’s evaluation system as well as its newly- adopted ‘merit slogans’.

Sabih who coached KP to title triumph in Pakistan Cup 2019 organised just prior to team’s departure to England have numerous other achievements up his sleeves including coaching the team to under-19, under-17 and under-16 nationals with decent success.

It was his vision of coaching that forced the PCB make necessary adjustments in the women cricket’s handling for better and affective results. Sabih helped produce number of international cricketers including Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Amir, Sohail Tanvir and Mohammad Wasim to name a few.

Sabih also coached Pakistan A, Pakistan under-19 and other junior teams with immense success. He has been the coach of Rawalpindi Division since assuming permanent job with the PCB in 2007.

Last year top performer in the evaluation process Taimoor Azam who also faced the PCB axe is a quality coach who helped Islamabad land different age group national titles during his 12-year association. Taimoor coached his team to back to back Pakistan Cup titles in 2016-17 and then 2017-18. His international achievements as a head coach Pakistan under 16 saw team win 4-2 against Australia recently. His success as national-16 coach came at the back of his team 5-1 win two years back.

The two along with Abdul Rehman (Peshawar) are considered as linchpins of domestic cricket coaches and have helped and groomed many cricketers in recent times.Their terminations has sent a wave of surprise and shock amongst cricketers, coaches and officials of the sister cities who demanded a detailed inquiry into this hasty and unjust PCB decision. All efforts to contact PCB Managing Director Wasim Khan by this scribe went fruitless.

Then SMS message to Wasim Khan was then sent to know his point of view on termination of the two.When the PCB spokesman was contacted, he replied: “As part of the change process under way at PCB, a number of decisions have already been implemented. These further changes continue to form part of our forward planning,” a PCB spokesman said.