Basit Ali close to signing extension with women’s team

Former Test cricket looks set to keep his role as coach despite run of poor performances

Former Test player Basit Ali is close to signing a two-year contract extension with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which means he will oversee Pakistan women's cricket team's World Cup qualifying round campaign as a coach, The Express Tribune has learnt.

“In an in-house meeting held on Wednesday at PCB headquarter, the future of Basit Ali was discussed and there is no truth that his stint with the women's team is going to be a short one,” said an official who was present in the meeting.

The official who is also associated with the women's cricket team management further revealed that the board has decided to give a two-year coaching contract to Basit.

“Basit will be coaching the women's team during their preparation for the qualifying round of the World Cup,” said the official.

The women's team will begin their national training camp from Monday in Karachi under head coach Basit to prepare for the said tournament's qualifying round, which is scheduled to begin from February 7 with the Greenshirts' Group B clash with the mighty South Africa.