The committee appointed by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for hiring a new coach for Pakistan team have short-listed five candidates. "We have finalised the name of five including Pakistanis as well as foreign coaches out of 37 applied for the job," chairman of the committee and former Pakistan Captain Intikhab Alam told reporters at a local hotel after holding a three-hour long meeting. Intikhab refused to divulge any names.
Other members of the committee, ex-captain and Asian Bradman Zaheer Abbas and former wicketkeeper batsman Colonel Naushad Ali (Retd) were also present on the occasion.
He said PCB COO Subhan Ahmed could not attend the meeting because of indisposition while they consulated Ramiz Raja on the phone from London. "We will be recommending and presenting the names to PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt who got the prerogative of appointing them," Intikhab Alam maintained. He said overall 37 submitted the Curricular Vitae (CV) for job including 25 Pakistanis and 12 foreign coaches.
PCB appointed the committee for hiring services of a new coach after Waqar Younis resigned from the job before the tour of Zimbabwe saying that tour will be his last. He said some former Test cricketers also applied for the job but refused to name them. "Final decision lies with the chairman from overseas strip. I will be holding a meeting with him here on his returning," he added. "There may be an interim coach for the series against Sri Lanka but all depends on PCB Chairman," Intikhab who is also Director PCB game development, remarked. Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka in the off-shore series against Sri Lanka being staged in United Arab Emirates starting next month.