Former Australian batsman Stuart Law first choice for Pakistan’s head coach job
At a Board of Governors meeting on Tuesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have labelled Australia’s interim batting mentor, Stuart Law, as its first choice for Pakistan’s head coach. Law is the preferred choice to replace the former coach Waqar Younis, who has coached the team since 2014 until he recently stepped down in April.
PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan was confidential about the decision at a media conference post the meeting, but said that it would be officially announced later in the week. Although, there has been no official announcement regarding the same, as per reports, PTI quoted a source from the PCB confirming Law as the choice.
"(Former Afghanistan coach Andy) Moles is the back-up as the PCB has to sort out some issues with (Stuart) Law because of his prior coaching commitments.
"We don’t want to make any announcement right now until the contract is signed as we are still talking to the candidate(s)," the member told PTI.
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Waqar Younis resigned as the head coach at the end of the ICC World T20 in India last month, and the position has been vacant since then. Pakistan will tour England in July, where they will play four Tests, five ODIs and one Twenty20 international.
Reportedly, Law submitted his application for the post of coach with the PCB before the April 25 deadline.
Law is free to pursue other opportunities
Law is also set to fill in for Greg Blewett as Australia’s batting coach for the upcoming Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka, since Blewett will miss the tour scheduled in July-August due to the birth of his second child.
Pat Howard, General Manager of Team Performance for Cricket Australia said Law is free to pursue other opportunities as he is employed only as a batting consultant.
"Stuart is employed as a consultant with Cricket Australia and we’re excited he will be part of the Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka.
"As a consultant, he is free to pursue other opportunities outside of this commitment," Howard said on Wednesday.
The Australian batting mentor, who has played one Test and 54 internationals, has good experience having coached Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the top level and more recently Queensland and the Brisbane Heat.