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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) continued to be plagued by communication gap as the fate of the team management for the Sharjah tour hung in the balance.

The director of the PCB, Brig Munawwar Rana, said from Islamabad that the selectors have also been assigned to recommend the captain for the tri- series starting April 8, involving India and Sri Lanka.

However, the chairman of selectors Wasim Bari vehemently denied receiving such instructions. "I mean, never in the history of Pakistan cricket, the selectors have been given to job to suggest the captain. "The instructions might come later in the coming week. And if they do come, we will try to fulfil that as well."

Rana, who was honoured with Sitara-i-Imtiaz on Friday, said the selectors recommendation will be discussed by the PCB advisory council which will in the end have the final say. "I assume the selectors are on their job (discussing the captain)," Rana added.

Although coach Javed Miandad has been appointed until the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, Moin Khan and Faqir Aizazuddin's tenures end on March 31. However, in the recent past, a lot of manoeuvring has taken place at the Gaddafi Stadium to ensure that the coach and captain are not given extensions after the New Zealand tour.

Bari, nevertheless, admitted that he would be consulting the team management on the selection of the squad. He said the management would be approached on March 30 because by that time the result of the third Test would have been more or less clear. "We don't want to disturb their concentration during the crunch match," he said.

Initially, Bari had no argument to give when asked why the team management was being consulted when its future was undecided. When press further, he said: "We will discuss the team with the board officials. But if there was a change, we will contact new people and seek their views on the team."

Bari said the four injured players viz Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar, Abdur Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood will be discussed for selection. He said he would seek an official word from the PCB about the fitness of the quartet who returned after the one-day series in New Zealand.

Asked how the players could be considered when their match fitness was unknown, Bari said: "Well, this is one of the arguments which might come on the table. But whatever happens, it is going to be a unanimous decision."

The PCB director said barring Wasim, the three players were under the supervision of three specialists - Dr Meesaq, Dr Tauseef Razzaq and Dr Mustatab. "The three players have been given a fitness chart. The specialists are expected to have another look at them most likely by Wednesday."

Shoaib Akhtar had spent a two-month rehabilitation period under Dr Razzaq before breaking down again in New Zealand with hamstring injury. Dr Razzaq had made big claims and ensured that the tearaway fast bowler was not at his peak of fitness. But Rana defended the doctor, saying: "He tried his best. At least, he brought Shoaib to a certain level of fitness."

© Dawn