New Delhi: Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has been appointed as their head coach and chief selector on a three-year contract, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Wednesday, 4 September.
Former fast bowler Waqar Younis has been appointed as the bowling coach for a three-year stint. Waqar was the Pakistan head coach twice before: between 2010 and 2011, and 2014 and 2016. He has also been in charge of franchise clubs across the globe, including at Bangladesh Premier League’s Sylhet Sixers and Pakistan Super League’s Islamabad United.
While this is the first coaching stint of Misbah’s career, he has leadership experience at all levels, including captaining Pakistan in 56 Tests. Overall, he has featured in 75 Tests and 162 one-day internationals, scoring over 10,300 international runs.
“It is very humbling for me to join a select group of some of the very best to have coached the Pakistan national sides in the past. It is an honour and more than that, a massive responsibility as we live and breathe cricket,” said Misbah on the appointment.
“I know expectations are high, but I am absolutely ready and up for the task otherwise I would not have thrown my name in the hat for one of the most challenging and coveted roles in Pakistan cricket.
“We have some of the most talented and exciting cricketers, and I will like to help them train and prepare in such a way that they can play intelligently, smartly and fearlessly. I am aware this will require a change in the dressing room culture but if we have to compete consistently at the highest level, we have to embrace these modern-day requirements.”
Misbah and Waqar’s first coaching assignment will be the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka at home, which comprises of three ODIs and as many Twenty20 Internationals. The duo has worked together in coaching roles before, when Waqar was the head coach in Misbah’s captaincy stint.
“I am excited to once again have someone as experienced and knowledgeable as Waqar Younis in my corner as a bowling coach,” said Misbah. “We have exciting young fast bowlers in our ranks and there is no better person than Waqar to transform them into modern-day stars.
“Both Waqar and I had a candid and frank discussion and we discussed and agreed on a number of things, including roles and responsibilities as well as how to take things forward.”
Source: ICC
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