PCB likely to appoint new coach next month

KARACHI: Australia’s Dean Jones and Pakistan’s Aaqib Javed have emerged as the top contenders to replace Waqar Younis as the national team’s head coach.

According to sources, Pakistan are expected to chose either of them to become the country’s new coach next month.

Pakistan were left with the task of looking for a new coach after Waqar Younis resigned in the aftermath of the country’s disastrous campaign in the ICC World Twenty20 championship in India.

Waqar wasn’t the only casualty of the World T20 debacle as captain Shahid Afridi stepped down while the national selection committee was sacked by the Pakistan Cricket Board.

According to a report, PCB is all set to appoint a new selection committee later this month while a new coach is expected to be hired in May.

The PCB has invited candidates to apply for the head coach position by April 25 after which a committee that also includes Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja will finalise the new coach.

Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, was quoted as saying in a report that the board had not yet decided whether to appoint a foreign coach or local one. 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,” he 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.

Shaharyar 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.

He 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.