Coaching panel to be selected with Waqar’s consent

Newly appointed head coach to influence selection of assistants.

KARACHI:

The position of head coach of the Pakistan national team has brought a lot of power for former captain Waqar Younis, who now has a strong say in the support staff of the team as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) coach hunt committee is all set to discuss the shortlisted candidates for the coaching panel.

The Express Tribune has learnt that the committee has shortlisted three to four candidates for the positions of batting coach, fielding coach and a spin bowling consultant, which will now be scrutinised among the committee members and Waqar.

This may be the reason the committee – comprising Moin Khan, Intikhab Alam and Haroon Rasheed – did not announce names for other posts after the cut-off date and only Waqar’s appointment was made official.

“The coaching committee will consult Waqar before making the final appointments in different posts of the team management,” a senior PCB official told The Express Tribune.

“He will be heading the team and has every right to have a say as to who comes in the support staff. We have shortlisted the candidates, which include both national and foreign applicants, but we’re waiting to have a final deliberation before appointing them.”

As far as the spin consultant position is concerned, Saqlain Mushtaq – the inventor of ‘doosra’ – and leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed are in a battle to get the lone spot.

Zimbabwe’s Grant Flower is the leading candidate for the batting coach position along with former skipper Inzamamul Haq, while outsiders include Shoaib Mohammad and Mansoor Rana.

Ijaz vies for fielding coach post

Ijaz Ahmed, who is also the national selector, is in the running to become the fielding coach of the team, having worked in similar capacity earlier under Waqar.

The official stressed that head coach Waqar will deliver desired results because the PCB’s top management, including chairman Najam Sethi, are giving him the space to select his own team.

“Sethi is giving space to former cricketers to work in an independent environment. But with independency comes accountability and Waqar will be responsible for the team’s results during his tenure.”

Pakistan, NZ series announced

Pakistan will take on New Zealand in the months of November and December as the PCB announced the itinerary for the home tour to be played in the UAE later this year.

The series will begin with the first Test at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi from November 11-15, followed by Tests at the Dubai Cricket Stadium (November 19-23) and Sharjah Cricket Stadium (November 27-December 1).

A one-off Twenty20 match will be played at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on December 5 after the Test series, which will be followed by five ODIs between December 8-19 in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2014.

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