High-profile international coaches such as Mickey Arthur, Dav Whatmore and Peter Moores have emerged as the frontrunners to replace Waqar Younis as the Pakistan cricket team coach. Besides, former assistant coach Aaqib Javed, former National Cricket Academy head coach Mudassar Nazar, national team’s former coach Haroon Rasheed and even former captain Javed Miandad could also be in the running for the job, if a three-member committee, formed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to find a coach for the national team, decides to go for a local coach.
Reports coming close from the committee said that it was already split on whether a foreign or a local coach should replace Waqar. “But the PCB itself is pretty keen on having a foreign coach with a team of Pakistani assistant and specialist coaches. Arthur (South Africa), Whatmore (Australia) and Moores (England) are being eyed for now,” a source said. He also said the committee had asked the former Test captain Rameez Raja to contact the shortlisted candidates immediately.
Rameez played a key role in getting the PCB to sign on former Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer in 2004 to replace Javed Miandad after a home series loss to India. “Rameez who has been asked to assist the committee that is headed by Intikhab Alam and includes Zaheer Abbas and Colonel Naushad Ali, will soon contact the candidates,” he said.
