KARACHI, Oct 25: Former Test captain Intikhab Alam was on Saturday appointed the new Pakistan coach for a two-year period, a day after Australian Geoff Lawson was unceremoniously booted out by the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Intikhab’s immediate task will be a three-match One-day International in Abu Dhabi against the West Indies, starting from Nov 14.

The 66-year-old former Test all-rounder, who was the coach when Pakistan won their solitary World Cup title in 1992 Down Under, admitted he has a great challenge on hand to make the national side a strong force again.

“Definitely, I have no hesitation in saying that it’s a great honour to be asked to take up the offer at this point in time since this isn’t an easy job. Today, when the PCB chairman [Ijaz Butt] asked me to take over, I accepted it as a huge challenge,” Intikhab told Dawn from Lahore.

Intikhab also revealed that the official announcement of his appointment will be made early next month. “I have also been informed that the cricket board will officially announce it either on 2nd or 3rd of November after the governing body of the PCB meets. But I can confirm that it’s not an interim position and it is a two-year contract with the PCB,” he said.

However, according to conflicting media reports, Ijaz Butt has conceded that there were other candidates under consideration for long-term deal as Pakistan coach, while Intikhab has been named coach for the Abu Dhabi series. Intikhab also coached the Indian Punjab team in their domestic Ranji Trophy tournament for two seasons, once taking them to the final.

Lawson, who initially signed a two-year deal in July last year as successor to late Bob Woolmer, was unexpectedly given his marching orders after a meeting — which lasted barely a couple of minutes — with the PCB chairman who had described the former Test fast bowler as ‘useless’ in his first press conference.

Intikhab, whose last stint as national coach ended in early 2000 when Pakistan lost at home to Sri Lanka after having replaced English-born Richard Pybus, said that he would be paying special attention to discipline on which there would be no compromise after a spate of controversies in Pakistan cricket.

“Obviously, lack of discipline has given Pakistan cricket bad publicity over the years. As far as I’m concerned, there will be no compromise if anyone is found breaching rules. This is imperative for the image-building of our team,” Intikhab stressed.

“After all, no one is bigger than the game and, therefore, discipline is my main priority. There are other areas that would be monitored closely to ensure the team emerges as a strong unit. We have to make sure the level of fitness within the squad improves.”

Intikhab, who has the rare distinction of taking a wicket with his very first ball in Test cricket (bowling Australia’s Colin McDonald at Karachi in 1959-60), reiterated that the target before him was not easy.

“Winning is a good habit and to inculcate that, we’ll have to work very hard to achieve our goal. In fact, it’s a step-by-step process that requires time. A coach doesn’t have a magic wand to produce positive results right away. But I’m very optimistic about the future of Pakistan cricket,” he explained.

Agencies add: Intikhab believes his team needs to attain full strength to be able to beat ‘vastly-improved’ India on home soil in what is an eagerly-awaited series early next year.

Intikhab said in an interview on Saturday that once Pakistan has all its key players fully fit and available for national duty, it will be in a good position to beat India. “India is a vastly improved side, there shouldn’t be any doubt about it,” he said. “Beating them would be tough but we can achieve it if our side is at full strength for the series,” he stressed.

Intikhab said Pakistan will desperately need the services of its dope-tainted pacer Mohammad Asif, who is currently battling to avoid a ban over a positive drugs test. “Asif is a match-winner and if he is back by the time when play India, I will be very confident about chances of winning the series,” he said.

Asif, 25, tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone during the Indian Premier League (IPL) held in April-June this year and has since been suspended from all forms of cricket. Intikhab, however, is hopeful that Asif will be cleared of the charges in time to make his return to the Pakistan team ahead of the home series against India.

The Indians are scheduled to arrive in Pakistan early January for three Tests, five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 International from Jan 13 to Feb 19.