KARACHI, Dec 16: Former Pakistan coach Javed Miandad has demanded Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to hold coach Bob Woolmer accountable for team's performance rather than giving him cover by making lame excuses for spate of abject performances.

"It is frustrating to see that the graph of team's performance is on decline. The team has lost all the assignments under the present coach," he told Dawn on Thursday.

Miandad claimed that he never criticized the players as falsely projected by Woolmer and he firmly believed that the present team having several world class performers was capable of doing much better. "But as a genuine well-wisher of Pakistan cricket I cannot keep quite and watch further decline of the national team under the "laptop" coach", he added. The former Pakistan captain was making observations on Woolmer's outburst against him (Miandad) and the national media published in Thursday's newspapers.

Miandad, a former captain, said the PCB should realize that team needed improvement in all departments of the game and not to be criticized by the high profile coach who before taking over had claimed that Pakistan was a sleeping giant and only needed wakeup call.

"In this situation, PCB should not cover up the mistakes of Woolmer and should ask him to take remedial measures to improve the performance," said Miandad who was relieved by PCB after his side lost a home series 2-1 to arch-rivals India in April.

He cited the case another former imported national team coach, South African Richard Pybus, who after Pakistan's worst-ever performances in World Cup history blamed the PCB officials for the failure and would not be surprised if Woolmer would probably do the same.

Miandad emphasised that poor performance had demoralised the players which was the reason why team failed to become a fighting unit. "Everybody knows Woolmer's performance and the recent successive defeats have proved that he has failed to develop understanding between the players," he said.

"Woolmer is coming up with illogical statements making excuses for defeats that players are not following his advice and he feels puzzled under the circumstances." "If he cannot take control of the situation then he should leave rather than sticking to a job in which he has done more harm than good," he said.

Miandad urged PCB patron President Gen Pervez Musharraf to personally look into the situation and ensure measures to stop further downfall of the team as cricket was Pakistanis passion.

"Now Woolmer has asked one more year to build the side into a winning combination but one should consider what he has accomplished during the past eight months." Miandad said under his coaching the team which won a number of tournaments and now his entire hard work and efforts had gone down the drain because of Woolmer.

"As a former captain and a coach I have the right to analyse the performance of the team and to point out mistakes," he said adding that the objective was not to criticise but to objectively highlight shortcomings and how to improve team's performance.

He said the team was still struggling to find openers and placement of batsmen in the middle order. "There is nothing wrong with the team. The players have enough talent and they are world class due to their individual standing in the game. What they need is proper guidance from the coach."

The former coach said after recent defeats the team needed a win to restore its image and confidence. "Victory can only be achieved if all the players are united and take on the opposition no matter how superior it is without any fear," he said.