The report said, a PCB spokesman announced that the former Test cricketer Haroon Rashid, who coached both the junior and senior strings for the last few years, had cited ``unavoidable circumstances'' as the reason for his resignation.

Haroon, while tendering his resignation, said: ``Unavoidable circumstances prevent me from carrying on my duties. I thank the PCB and the executive council for reposing confidence in me for such an important assignment.''

Following a surprise move by the PCB, Haroon took the charge of the Pakistan senior team from the celebrated Test all-rounder Mushtaq Muhammad in 1996. A day before he went on a foreign tour as the manager of the Pakistan under-19 cricket team, Haroon was named the coach of the Pakistan senior team.

A 2-1 win against India in the 3-match one-day international series was the most significant achievement of Haroon's stint of about two and a half years. However, the Pakistan senior team, under his wings, suffered the most ignominious defeat in the quadrangular cricket tournament hosted by Pakistan in November, 1997 as part of the golden jubilee celebrations.