Search for Pakistan’s New Head Coach: PCB Reportedly Eyes India’s World Cup Winning Coach Gary Kirsten

April 19, 2024 0 35

PCB reportedly aims to select the next head coach for the Pakistan cricket team by the end of April, with considerations for renowned figures like Gary Kirsten and Gillespie alongside new applicants.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) intends to unveil a fresh coaching lineup for both red and white ball formats of the national team before the end of April, as reportedly confirmed by a PCB official on Friday. Alongside renowned coaches like South Africa’s Gary Kirsten and Australia’s Jason Gillespie, the PCB has received applications from other respected candidates by the April 15 deadline.

Emphasizing a thorough selection process, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi affirmed that long-term coaching appointments will be conducted meticulously to fulfill all commitments by the board, marking a departure from interim arrangements since Misbah-ul-Haq’s tenure in 2019.

“The PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi has made it clear that the long-term appointments of coaches will be done through a due process and all commitments would be met by the board,” News18 quoted a source as saying.

“Even in Kirsten and Gillespie’s case though, the board has held direct negotiations with them, and they remain top candidates to be appointed head coaches, (but) they were also told to apply through due process by the deadline,” the source added.

The PCB anticipates needing until the end of the month to finalize its decision on the head coach position, considering various compelling candidates who have applied, as revealed by a source. The PCB chairman prefers maintaining confidentiality regarding candidate names until official announcements are made.

Additionally, the PCB has set April 20 as the deadline for assistant coach applications, with even Azhar Mahmood, currently serving as head coach for the New Zealand series on a consultancy basis, required to undergo the formal application process, the source further disclosed.