Bengaluru: UAE cricket team coach Aqib Javed is a front-runner to take over as the next coach of the Pakistan cricket team. With Pakistan almost on the verge of exiting the Twenty20 World Cup following their defeat to New Zealand on Tuesday night, plans to revamp the team and as well as the team management are in full swing.
According to information from Karachi, skipper Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis are likely to be sacked from their positions. Afridi, after the defeat to New Zealand, had also candidly admitted that their next game against Australia at Mohali could be the last game of his career.
Javed is known for moulding the UAE team into a winning unit, and had guided them to the 2014 Twenty20 World Cup, the 2015 ICC World Cup (50 overs) and the recent Asia Cup as well. The Pakistan Cricket Board is understood to be very impressed with his performance as a coach.
When Gulf News contacted Javed to clarify whether he was being considered as next Pakistan coach, he said: “Right now it is only speculation, but I will be one of the candidates should there be a decision to change the coach.”
Many former cricketers have strongly criticised Waqar’s coaching ways and Afridi’s captaincy. The factor that has speeded up the decision to sack both of them is the fact that Pakistan lost to India once again.
Though the lack of talented batsmen in Pakistan’s domestic cricket is a key factor, the PCB is not willing to give a lifeline for both. Afridi had hinted that he would like to continue playing, but with so much criticism after the defeat, he might finally call it a day.
The PCB had earlier decided to extend Waqar’s contract till September for the tour of England soon after the World Cup, but it is likely that the decision might be revoked. Waqar, on his arrival in India for the World Cup, had said that his focus was to help Pakistan win the World Cup and not about his contract extension. Soon after losing to New Zealand, Waqar hit out at his batsmen.
“You must be able to adjust in T20, you have got to be adaptable. For those who were upset at not getting to bat in the positions they hoped for, this was a perfect opportunity. We were just not good enough. You can cry all you want, you can talk all you want, but we are just not good enough. People will have to take a hard look at themselves,” Waqar said, hinting at Umar Akmal who had complained to former Pakistan captain Imran Khan in Kolkata that he wanted to be promoted up the batting order.
Waqar had also hinted at that point that unless players emerge from domestic cricket, no coach will be able to do anything. “They (selectors) will have to identify what kind of players this team needs. If I get into details, there will be a lot of issues... about first-class cricket too. But we will have to start by solving the immediate problems,” noted Waqar, who was so upset that he had even stated that this team does not deserve to qualify for the knockout as well.
