Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has heeded the counsel of the Cricket Technical Committee, dispelling uncertainty surrounding the team management’s future ahead of major tournaments.
Upon assuming leadership of the PCB management committee, Zaka Ashraf confronted a sense of impending upheaval, suggesting potential changes even for foreign coaches. However, instead of rushing into decisions, the board head chose to engage in discussions with Misbah-ul-Haq, deferring the matter to a technical committee led by him.
The national team achieved a clean sweep against Sri Lanka in the Test series on their home turf. In light of crucial upcoming commitments like the Asia Cup and World Cup, the decision was reached not to disrupt the team management, as Zaka Ashraf had hinted at in recent days.
The looming uncertainty concerning foreign coaches and support staff has been definitively resolved. Contrary to expectations, the manager’s position remains unchanged, with the exception of the appointment of psychologist Maqbool Babri.
PCB recently unveiled the team management lineup for the Afghanistan ODI series and Asia Cup. Mickey Arthur will serve as the director, Grant Bradburn as head coach, Andrew Piotke as batting coach, and Morne Morkel as bowling coach. Aftab Khan will assume the role of fielding coach, while Abdul Rahman will serve as assistant coach. The support staff includes Drax Simon as Conditioning Coach, Cliff Deacon as Physiotherapist, Dr. Sohail Saleem as Team Doctor, Talha Ejaz as Analyst, Rehanul Haque as Manager, Ahsan Iftikhar as Media Manager, and Lt Col (Rtd) Usman Anwari as Security Manager. Psychologist Maqbool Ahmed Babri will oversee player well-being.
Additionally, it’s noteworthy that Grant Bradburn has been appointed the national team coach for a two-year term.
Pakistan is scheduled to play two ODIs against Afghanistan in Hambantota on August 22nd and 24th, with the third match taking place in Colombo on August 26th.
The Asia Cup is set to commence on August 30th with a match between Pakistan and Nepal in Multan. While four matches will be hosted in Pakistani venues, the remaining nine will be played in Sri Lanka. Preparations are underway in Multan and Lahore, including pitch maintenance and preparation. Ticket sales are set to commence on Saturday, beginning with the VIP and premium enclosures at Multan and Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Ticket prices for First Class and General Enclosures will be announced on the occasion of the 76th Independence Day. Ticket details for Hospitality Boxes during the Asia Cup matches in Sri Lanka will be shared later. Tickets will be available for purchase at pcb.bookme.pk.