By IANS,
Karachi : Pakistan’s fitness trainer David Dwyer has agreed to extend his stint with the national team and will be available for the important home series against India early next year.
It was over a dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Abu Dhabi where Pakistan’s senior batsman Younis Khan convinced Dwyer that he has a future with the Pakistan team.
“I believe that David (Dwyer) is a very good fitness trainer and our team needs his services,” Younis told Jang newspaper. “That is why when I came to know that he has decided to leave us, I invited him for dinner and convinced him to stay back,” said Younis, who had to spend a hefty 1300 dirhams on the dinner.
Dwyer joined the Pakistan team as an important member of the support staff hired on the advice of former coach Geoff Lawson. After Lawson was sacked by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in October, Dwyer also decided to resign. But he was asked by the PCB to stay back for the three-match One-day International series against the West Indies that was played in Abu Dhabi from Nov 12-16.
Younis said Dwyer’s decision to stay back is a good omen for Pakistan, who will soon begin preparations for the home series against India that will include three tests, five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 International in Jan-Feb 2009.
The series, however, is in doubt because of the security situation in Pakistan and is subject to clearance from the Indian government. Younis said the series against India is very important for Pakistan and should take place even if the PCB is forced to move to some neutral venues or to India.
“We really need to have the series against India. We haven’t played a single Test this year and we desperately need to play good cricket. I hope that the series against India is played here but if the need be we can even play on a neutral soil or in India,” he said.