Pakistan consider foreign coach

Reuters: Pakistan will consider appointing a foreign coach to replace Waqar Younis despite the nation’s security situation, the cricket board head told Reuters as the search officially got under way on Friday.

The board has placed an advertisement on its website and contacted other Test nations and the International Cricket Council (ICC) in its hunt for a coach after Waqar announced he was quitting for medical reasons after this month’s tour of Zimbabwe.

“For the time being we have kept no eligibility factor for the post and anyone inside and outside Pakistan can apply for the position,” Subhan Ahmad said. Pakistan has changed coach 15 times since 1998 with the late Bob Woolmer having the longest term between 2004 and 2007. A four-member committee headed by ex-Test captain Intikhab Alam and including former players Zaheer Abbas, Ramiz Raja and Naushad Ali will short list and recommend the new coach. “We want the process to be a transparent one and we have made it clear in our post that the interested candidate will be based at the PCB headquarters in Lahore,” Ahmad added.

He said the board was aware that due to foreign teams not touring Pakistan because of security problems, foreign coaches might have issues taking up the post.

“But let us see what happens, for the moment we have kept the doors open for all interested candidates. We have even asked the ICC and other Test countries to advise and assist us in finding a new coach,” Ahmad said.

The board has set Sept. 26 as the final date for candidates to send their CVs for consideration.