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KARACHI, April 22: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to elevate Richard Pybus as coach of the cricket team for the World Cup. According to informed sources, the decision was taken at the cricket headquarters in Gaddafi Stadium which would be put before the executive council on May Day for approval.

The post of the coach became vacant on Wednesday when Javed Miandad took the country by surprise by submitting his resignation to the cricket board chairman.

On Thursday, no efforts were made by the PCB to contact the former captain. In fact, sources said the cricket board officials were expecting that he (Javed Miandad) would approach them which he didn't.

Knowledgeable sources continued that the cricket board would evaluate Pybus' performance before deciding whether to extend his contract.

Pybus, a 34-year-old England-born South African, is initially hired on a two-month contract at a reported fee of 1,700 pounds a week.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan cricket team's reception at the Prime Minister House scheduled for Saturday was still in doldrums. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will be returning on Friday evening from his visit of Russia.

According to board sources, the Prime Minister's secretariat would inform the cricket board on Friday evening about the engagement. Sources said if the reception at Islamabad was not possible, chief minister Punjab, Mian Shahbaz Sharif, would host the reception.

The team which went to India and the entire cricket board has been invited for the reception. But it was not confirmed till late night if Javed Miandad would attend the dinner.

In another latest development, judicial commission, headed by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum, has summoned 12 players to appear before him on Wednesday for cross-examination.

Ali Sibtain Fazli, legal advisor of the PCB, said from Lahore that since the team was also leaving for England on the same day, the players can be represented by their lawyers. ``Summons have been issued and the copy of the those can be obtained from the Registrar (Abdus Salam Khawar),'' he said.

Fazli said Justice Qayyum would try to make Wednesday's hearing as the final one before he submits his recommendations and findings to President Rafiq Tarrar who is also the Patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The players who have been asked to appear on Wednesday include Wasim Akram, Salim Malik, Ijaz Ahmad, Mushtaq Ahmad, Waqar Younis while they would be cross-examined by Rashid Latif, Aamir Sohail, Javed Miandad, PCB chief executive Majid Khan, Ata-ur-Rahman, Intikhab Alam and an alleged bookie Salim Pervaiz.