Waqar resigned on medical grounds earlier this month, leaving Pakistan, gripped by Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked violence, scrambling for a replacement.

Former captain and coach Intikhab Alam, heading up the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB's) search for a new coach, said interest was encouraging.

"We received some 12 applications from abroad and 25 from within Pakistan and after a meeting we have shortlisted five candidates," said Alam, whom Waqar replaced as coach in March 2010.

Alam refused to divulge any names.

"We will give the names to PCB chairman Ijaz Butt who has the right to chose the coach," he said.

Last month, the PCB said it would contact high-profile coaches such as Australia's Dav Whatmore and South Africa's Mickey Arthur.

Arthur is currently coaching Western Australia while Whatmore is the head coach at India's national academy and also helping the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Alam said Pakistan could look for an interim coach for the Test series against Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates, starting next month.

"An interim coach for the Sri Lanka series is a possibility but everything is now in the hands of the PCB," said Alam.

Pakistan play three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka refused to tour Pakistan over security fears.

In March 2009, militants ambushed the Sri Lankan tour bus in the Pakistani city of Lahore, killing eight Pakistanis and wounding seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011