The Pakistan Cricket Board plots to appoint foreign ahead of the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 which is set to begin in June.
PCB plots on hiring foreign coaches
Pakistan Cricket Board’s Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, is looking to appoint coaches and staff for the men’s national team to guide them through upcoming marquee events in the USA and West Indies.
“The new Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi is keen to look at the available coaching options for Pakistan and is more inclined to appoint foreign coaches and support staff,” said a source.
“Naqvi has already asked chief selector, Wahab Riaz to speak to some of the available options and shortlist candidates as he is aware foreign coaches might be reluctant to join the Pakistan team because of the way Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn, and Andrew Puttick were removed from their positions after the World Cup and their contracts cut short.”
Wahab who worked as an advisor for the chairman on sports in the Punjab Government, has been allotted to have initial discussions with prospective candidates.
Muhammad Hafeez, who is the director of the board has been assured a three-year contract by the board’s previous chairman Zaka Ashfra has been released by the board.
The future of Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal who have been appointed as the bowling coaches of the national side, remains uncertain.
Naqvi also suggested that Mohammad Rizwan was the better option to lead the side in ODI and T20 formats rather than Shaheen Shah Afridi.
“Shaheen’s performance as captain in the Pakistan Super League is under scrutiny no doubt about that,” the source said.
It is also said that Zaka removed Babar from captaincy across all formats after the ODI World Cup in 2023. He also changed the entire coaching staff and selection committee after the failure of the World Cup campaign last year.
The source also added that Babar felt discomfort after the board forced him to resign as captain. “Babar privately feels betrayed by Shaheen as he and the fast bowler, Rizwan, Shadab Khan, and Haris Rauf have always been very close in the team.”
However, the Pakistan Cricket Board will be featuring many changes by the end of March. It is said that there is a fall-out between Hafeez and Wahab as the former feels that Wahab Riaz did not extend his support as team director.
