Pakistan eye fresh start as Misbah, Waqar make exit

By Our Correspondent
September 07, 2021

KARACHI: Ramiz Raja is set to take over as Pakistan’s cricket boss next week but it is clear that he is already calling the shots.

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On Monday, Misbah-ul-Haq – one of Pakistan cricket’s most influential men in recent years – made an unceremonious exit as he stepped down as head coach just weeks before the ICC Twenty20 World Cup gets underway in the UAE. Waqar Younis, Misbah’s right-hand man also followed suit.

Though the duo announced that they were resigning, it was apparent that Ramiz, who has been handpicked by Prime Minister Imran Khan as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), wasn’t willing to continue with them.

Instead the team’s charge has been temporarily handed to former stars Saqlain Mushtaq and Abdul Razzaq but there are indications that a foreign coach will be roped in ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Misbah, the former Pakistan captain who was given near absolute control of the national team by outgoing PCB chairman Ehsan Mani, tried to save face by announcing that he was quitting the job because of family concerns and bio-bubble restrictions.

Misbah, 47, announced in a statement that he had decided to resign while undergoing mandatory quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19 following Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies last week.

“The quarantine time provided me with an opportunity to reflect on the past 24 months, future commitments and bio-bubble environment and on considering that I made the decision,” Misbah said in a statement released by PCB Monday morning.

Misbah admitted the timing of his decision — which came as Pakistan named a 15-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup — “may not be ideal”. “But I don’t think I am in the right frame of mind for the upcoming challenges and it makes sense for someone fresh to step in and take the side forward,” he said.

Waqar, who had joined Misbah as bowling coach almost two years ago, announced that Misbah’s decision had prompted him to quit as well. “After Misbah shared with me his decision and future plans, it was a straightforward one for me to resign as we had walked into the roles together, had worked collectively as a pair and now also step down together,” Waqar was quotes as saying by the PCB.

Misbah, appointed chief selector in 2019 before leaving the post after a year, coached Pakistan in 16 Tests, with the team winning seven, losing six and drawing three. Under him Pakistan managed to win six of their 11 ODIs, with four losses and one no result, as well as secure 16 wins in 34 Twenty20 Internationals, losing 13 and five no results.

PCB said former off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and allrounder Abdul Razzaq will act as interim coaches for the series against New Zealand starting later this month. “The team management for the T20 World Cup will be appointed in due course,” the group said. Local media last week reported the PCB was in talks with former England coach Peter Moores to join ahead of the World Cup.

Meanwhile, Wasim Khan, the PCB’s chief executive, called Misbah and Waqar’s decision “honorable”, and said that Saqlain and Razzaq, who are both experienced coaches, were ready for the step up.

“The PCB understands and respects Misbah’s decision. Cricket in this unprecedented bio-secure world has not been easy for anyone and Misbah has clearly taken into account the intense six months of non-stop cricket ahead,” Wasim said. “In the past 24 months, Misbah has given his very best to the team and we wish him well in his future endeavors.

“It has been an honorable decision by Waqar and we thank him sincerely for his immense work and commitment over the past two years and wish him the very best in the future. Both Misbah and Waqar have given so much to Pakistan cricket over a long period of time and for that they deserve a huge amount of respect.

“Saqlain is the Head of International Player Development at the National High Performance Centre, while Abdul Razzaq’s domestic side [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but he had shifted to Central Punjab after that] won three titles in the 2020-21 season. Both Saqlain and Razzaq are ready to step-up and are very much looking forward to making important contributions in their coaching roles against New Zealand.” —with inputs

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