All-rounder Afridi on the cards for captaincy

Chairman Najam Sethi wants top fielding, batting coaches for team.

KARACHI: Within a day after Shahid Afridi expressed interest in leading the national team, Mohammad Hafeez stepped down as the Twenty20 captain, igniting debate about a new skipper for Pakistan in the format.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi said the board was not in a hurry to look for Hafeez’s replacement, saying the think-tank has time to make the best possible decision. He has summoned an extensive meeting on April 15 to consider changes in the team as well as the management.

With Hafeez resigning and the Test and ODI captain Misbahul Haq not playing T20 Internationals anymore, Afridi has appeared as the front-runner to regain the captain’s armband. The swashbuckling all-rounder led the team to the semi-finals of the 2010 World Twenty20 and the 2011 World Cup. Afridi’s removal from captaincy after leading the team in the major tournament was not the fallout of a failure; it was rather a result of certain external factors.

An official close to the PCB’s Management Committee said that if the board preferred experience, then Afridi is the ‘favourite’ for captaincy.

“Afridi is the leading contender,” said the official.

“But he is not the only who will be in contention. Players who can resolve the captaincy issue for a longer period like Ahmed Shehzad may also be considered.” The official also hinted at the possibility of a change in the ODI captaincy with an eye on next year’s World Cup. “All aspects will come into deliberation after the PCB chairman returns from the International Cricket Council meeting next week, where he will tackle the issue of the Big Three.”

Sethi wants world-class coaches for team

Sethi, while speaking to  media in Lahore, vowed that he would not compromise on the quality of coaches.

“First of all, I’ve instructed to hire a top fielding coach,” said the PCB chairman after spending a hectic day involving meetings including grilling of the team management.

“We need a full-time physio for the team. We have to make arrangements for the 2015 World Cup that will be held in Australia. We need to prepare for the pitches there. We are looking to hire foreign coaches as there is a need of one or two similar tracks for the preparations.

“The team also needs a batting coach. All the coaches will have to work vigorously with the players.”

Sethi noted his decision to appoint coaches before the Asia Cup for two months was a wise decision.

“The reason was that I wanted to assess their performance. We have the time to consider our options. We have four to five months and we will make the best decisions for team.”

To a query, the PCB chairman said doors were open for former coach Waqar Younis, who applied for the  job before Moin Khan was appointed.

It may be mentioned that the contracts of Moin, Shoaib Mohammad (fielding coach) and Zaheer Abbas  have expired with the end of Pakistan’s campaign at the World Twenty20.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2014.

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