PCB to appoint new coach by first week of May

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan has said that the new selection committee will be appointed next week while the new head coach would be selected by first week of May.

The PCB is on the lookout for a new coach after Waqar Younis stepped down following Pakistan s poor show at the Asia Cup and ICC World Twenty20.

The cricket board also sacked the entire selection panel headed by Haroon Rasheed.

PCB has asked candidates to apply for the position of head coach by April 25 after which a committee comprising of former players Wasim Akram and Rameez Raja will take a decision on the new coach.

However Shaharyar Khan said that the board is yet to decide whether to appoint a foreign or local coach. But he dropped a hint that the board had already shortlisted a foreign and a local candidate.

The new coach will be appointed by first week of May and Wasim is also in India for the IPL to discuss with candidates, Khan said.

The names of former Test stalwarts Aaqib Javed, Moin Khan, Mohsin Khan and Mudassar Nazar are doing the rounds for the post of head coach while the board is said to be eyeing Tom Moody and Dean Jones as the best possible foreign candidates.

Moody is busy in the IPL while Jones recently coached the title winning Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League.

Khan said that the new selection committee would be named by late this week or next week as the board wanted the selectors to also watch the Pakistan Cup one-day tournament in Faisalabad starting next week.

He confirmed that Mohsin Khan had been offered the post of chief selector but he declined. Mohsin is more inclined towards coaching the national team, he added.

The names of former Test spinner Iqbal Qasim, Moin and Mohsin are also being tipped to head the selection committee.

The PCB chief said “the board would now make appointments after giving it proper thought as the national team had tough tours to England and Australia and there was a need to improve its rankings in all three formats”.