Lawson caught unawares, bowled PCB

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday sacked coach Geoff Lawson with immediate effect, nearly six months before the completion of his contract. The Australian has been given three months’ pay as per his contractual clause and told to leave. “The decision to release Lawson has been taken by the chairman,” a board official said.

Though he said that Lawson has been informed about the decision, the Australian himself said he was unaware of any developments. “I have not been informed so far about my dismissal,” Lawson, who had a meeting with Butt in the morning, said. After the meeting, Lawson returned to the national academy and was preparing to have a net session with Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal when mediapersons approached him for his comments on the sacking. Lawson was hired in August last year after the death of Englishman Bob Woolmer during the World Cup. There was no immediate word on a replacement for Lawson.

Butt also sacked chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi, replacing him with former Test pacer Saleem Altaf.