Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis has been forced to rebut media reports about him having tendered his resignation to the Board after growing speculation about disquiet in the national team dressing room on the tour to New Zealand.
Waqar in an audio message released through the PCB said today that all media reports about his supposed resignation were rubbish.
"I am really upset at the way the media comes up with such stories. Whenever we don't do well they are such stories churned out by the media and it is most unfortunate," Waqar said.
The media has reported that the environment in the Pakistan dressing room was far from ideal and Waqar and the other support staff reportedly threatened to quit if the players were not comfortable with them and were not able to execute plans given to them.
Pakistan have faced a troubled in one-dayers and T20 matches in recent times and were routed by England in the UAE before also losing the T20 series in New Zealand and also the first ODI.
The media has reported about a lack of trust between the team management and the players and about how Waqar had told the PCB he was ready to step down.
Waqar made it clear he had no intention of stepping down and insisted that Pakistan cricket would be harmed if such baseless reports were given on the eve of the Asia T20 and World T20 events in Bangladesh and India respectively.
"I have no intention of stepping down. Especially when the team is in a transition period and is trying to adopt to the requirements of modern day cricket," he said.
"I hope there will be no more distractions before two major events for us," he added.
Waqar's two-year contract expires in May but the PCB has said he would continue as coach for the tour to England from July to September.
"Waqar is himself hugely disappointed at the way his
two-year tenure has gone and has also spoken about the way the national selectors coordinated with him in selection matters," the source informed.
He also disclosed that Waqar had complained about the way the chief selector Haroon Rasheed had ignored his advice on many occasions and made selections after consulting Afridi.
The Pakistan team has come under fire after losing ODI and T20 series to England and New Zealand and then faring poorly in the Asia T20 Cup and the World T20.
Pakistan were knocked out of the World T20 after failing to qualify for the semi-finals as they lost three out of their four group matches.
Afridi, meanwhile, made a quiet return to Karachi after staying in Dubai for a few days.
"Shahid is also due to leave for Lahore tomorrow to appear before the fact-finding committee," another source said.
"Shahid is aware that his days as Pakistan captain are over but he is trying to extend his international career by being available only as a player. But Waqar has included his name among the senior players he believes need to be sidelined from the team," he added.
