KARACHI: Ownership of Misbah-ul-Haq as head coach of the National Cricket Team is likely to continue through the upcoming T20 World Cup after Pakistan emerges victory in the rainy T20 series against West Hindia.
Pakistan claimed the Four-Match T20 Series 1-0 after the fourth and last match ended without the results on Tuesday after the rain.
Before the start of the four matches of the T20 match against Western Indians in the Caribbean, several PCB and technocrat officials on the cricket committee were worried about the performance of the team in the white ball format after a disappointing English tour.
“Basically everyone is interested in seeing how Misbah manages the team in the T20 series in West Indies when the call grows for PCB to review its position as head coach in the white ball format,” said a reliable source to PTI.
He said that the Board had begun to look for other choices because the cricket community was upset after Pakistan lost the series one day three matches to the second string side and from the T20 series with several key players missing from the side of the house.
“That feeling develops that maybe Misbah is not the right person or does not have a coaching experience to take Pakistan to the T20 World Cup,” said the source.
He said one of the options discussed was attaching additional specialist white ball coach with the team.
“But now because the T20 series in West Indies is very disturbed by bad weather and three matches left behind, it has become difficult for the board committee and cricket to make the final decision about the future of Misbah as a white ball coach,” he said.
He said the main problem faced by PCB was a shortage of time with Pakistan scheduled to play a series against Afghanistan, New Zealand and England before the T20 World Cup began in October.
“With this T20 series drifting in West Indies clearly there is no space or logical reasons to reshape the management of the team now before the World Cup,” he said.
Misbah has a three-year contract with a PCB and will complete a two-year contract at the T20 World Cup.
But the source confirmed that the cricket committee would meet Misbah, coach Bowling Waqar Yunis and captain Babar Azam to get feedback about what was wrong in England and the overall progress of the team before the team went to Sri Lanka.
The committee was led by former Cricketer test, Saleem Yualf and included former great players, Akram Wasim and former tests, Umar Gul and Ali Naqvi.
“Wasim was especially dissatisfied with the progress of Misbah as a coach and felt that Babar was also given more support as the captain of the coach,” said another source.
“The cricket committee will also meet with the main voters, Muhammad Witim because they have the number of questions about the problem of selection and the way Misbah and Babar make a quick change in the white ball team.” Misbah, Babar and other supporting staff will return home after a series of two tests in West Indies which starts from August 12.
Misbah tends to continue as head coach after winning the T20i series
