PCB announce new HPC coaches, reshuffle in National selection committee

The board named a star-studded line-up of coaches for the National High Performance Centre and six Cricket Associations for the 2020-21 domestic cricket season

PHOTO: AFP

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today announced a star-studded line-up of coaches for the National High Performance Centre (HPC) and six Cricket Associations for the 2020-21 domestic cricket season.

The list of coaches is headed by Pakistan’s fourth highest Test run-getter and second most runs scorer in ODIs, Mohammad Yousuf, who has been appointed as the batting coach at the National High Performance Centre (NHPC) in Lahore.

Joining Yousuf at the NHPC is former wicketkeeper Atiq-uz-Zaman and tear away fast-bowler Mohammad Zahid.

With Mushtaq Ahmed already working as spin bowling consultant, the NHPC is now fully loaded with experienced coaches to hone the skill and talent of promising young cricketers and prepare them for challenges at the highest level.

Mohammad Yousuf, former Pakistan captain: “My ambitions in making a career in coaching are an open secret but it was all about the timing and a proper roadmap for our future cricket in which I could contribute effectively. I believe this is the right time for me to start my second innings as I can sense the intent and optimism in the approach. This will be an exciting and challenging task but I am up for it and look forward to making a meaningful contribution.”

Cricket Association coaches

The PCB has also confirmed 36 coaches for the six Cricket Associations, which will feature in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (four-day first-class and three-day non first-class), National T20 Cup (first and second XIs), Pakistan Cup One-Day Tournament (first and second XIs) and the National U19 cricket tournament (three-day and one-day).

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International stars added to the coaching panel are: Abdul Razzaq (46 Tests, 265 ODIs and 32 T20Is), Aizaz Cheema (seven Tests 14 ODIs and five T20Is), Basit Ali (19 Tests and 50 ODIs), Faisal Iqbal (26 Tests, 18 ODIs), Ghulam Ali (three ODIs and 167 first-class matches), Humayun Farhat (one Test and five ODIs), Irfan Fazil (one Test, one ODI) and Zafar Iqbal (eight ODIs).

Besides these international cricketers, seven other former first-class cricketers will make their coaching debuts in the upcoming domestic season. They are: Aftab Khan, Aslam Qureshi, Fahad Masood, Habib Baloch, Hafiz Majid Jahangir, Hanif Malik, and Mohammad Sadiq.

The coaches, who have been retained for the 2020-21 season, are: Abdul Rehman, Akram Raza, Bilal Ahmed, Fahad Akram, Hussain Khosa, Iqbal Imam, Kamran Khan, Mazhar Dinari, Mohammad Masroor, Mohammad Wasim, Rafatullah Mohmand, Saeed Anwar Junior, Sajjad Akbar, Samiullah Niazi, Saqib Faqir, Shahid Anwar, Shoaib Khan, Tahir Mahmood, Tanvir Shaukat, Wasim Haider and Zahoor Elahi.

The coaches, whose contracts will not be renewed for the 2020-21 season, are: Arshad Khan, Raj Hans (both Balochistan), Ijaz Ahmed Junior, Naveed Anjum (both Central Punjab), Kabir Khan, Sajid Shah (both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Manzoor Elahi and Tahir Mahmood (both Northern), Azam Khan, Tauseef Ahmed, Shaukat Mirza (all Sindh) and Javed Hayat (Southern Punjab).

National Men’s Selection Committee reshuffled

Following changes of first XI head coaches, there has been a reshuffle in the men’s national selection committee.

Abdul Razzaq (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Basit Ali (Sindh), Faisal Iqbal (Balochistan) and Shahid Anwar (Central Punjab) will now join Abdur Rehman (Southern Punjab) and Mohammad Wasim (Northern) in Misbah-ul-Haq’s men’s national selection panel.

National High Performance Centre coaches

Atiquz Zaman (fielding/wicketkeeping coach), Mohammad Yousuf (batting consultant/coach) and Mohammad Zahid (fast bowling coach). Mushtaq Ahmed (spin bowling consultant/coach, retained)

Cricket Association coaches (2020-21 domestic season)

Balochistan

First XI – Faisal Iqbal (coach), Wasim Haider (assistant coach)

Second XI – Habib Baloch (coach), Shoaib Khan (assistant coach)

U19 – Hussain Khosa (coach), Mazhar Dinari (assistant coach)

Central Punjab

First XI – Shahid Anwar (coach), Samiullah Niazi (assistant coach)

Second XI – Akram Raza (coach), Humayun Farhat (assistant coach)

U19 – Tanvir Shaukat (coach), Irfan Fazil (assistant coach)

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

First XI – Abdul Razzaq (coach), Aftab Khan (assistant coach)

Second XI – Rafatullah Mohmand* (coach), Aslam Qureshi (assistant coach)