Azhar Mahmood offered assistant coaching role with Pakistan

The Pakistani structural overhaul has had yet another latest coaching news. Recent reports suggest that former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood has been offered a coaching role with the Pakistan cricket team. The former Pakistani all-rounder had served as interim bowling coach for Pakistan in the World T20.

Chairman of the Pakistan cricket board, Shahryar Khan had confirmed that Mahmood had been offered the role. Should he confirm his participation, he will join incumbent coach Mickey Arthur.

According to a reliable source in the PCB, Arthur had been keen to have former Test leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed as his assistant coach but the PCB said the latter couldn’t be released from his duties at the National Cricket Academy since a new Director of academies Mudassar Nazar was due to take over from June 15th.

“Azhar has agreed to take up the assignment but will confirm once he has settled some contractual obligations with his county in England,” Khan said.

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Khan also added that Mickey Arthur had stated that it was important to appoint a Pakistani coach to help him settle into the scheme of things more smoothly. “Mickey Arthur had specifically asked us to appoint a Pakistani assistant coach with him as this would make it easier for him to settle down quickly in the team and also communicate and understand the players psyche better,” Khan said.

Interestingly, according to the board source Azhar had also submitted his own report on the team culture and performance after the mega event and he was critical of the lack of professionalism in the team.