Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ended national team coach Geoff Lawson's contract with a three months' pay as compensation. The board’s CEO Shafqat Naghmi has also been replaced by Saleem Altaf.

Speaking to the media persons here, PCB spokesman Raza Rashid said, “Geoff Lawson has been removed as coach of Pakistan.”

The former pace bowler from Australia was hired after the former Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was found dead during the 2007 World Cup in West Indies. Lawson’s two year contract was due to end in 2009.

Under Lawson, Pakistan reached the final of the World Twenty20 in 2007 and won the Kitply Cup this year, but they also lost key series at home to South Africa and away to India. The team also failed to qualify for the final of the Asia Cup earlier this year.

Meanwhile, some media reports added that the country’s former Test skipper Intikhab Alam could be named as the team temporary coach for the next month's ODI series against West Indies in Abu Dhabi.