Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis step down as Pakistan's head coach and bowling coach

Ahead of the all-important T20 World Cup 2021, Pakistan cricket have received big news of their head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis stepping down from their respective roles. It has been reported that they confirmed their decisions to the Pakistan Cricket Board by the late hours of Monday morning. It has to be noted that both Misbah and Younis were given their roles in September 2019 and still had a year remaining of their contracts.

As New Zealand men’s team is all set to arrive in Pakistan for the three-match ODI series and five-match T20I series, Pakistan are set to assemble in Islamabad by September 08. In the same light of events, the PCB has appointed Saqlain Mushtaq and Abdul Razzaq as interim coaches for the same series. The team management for the upcoming T20 World Cup is also to be decided in due course.

The main reason that Misbah quoted while stepping down from his role was bio-bubble fatigue and the time he would miss out with his family while being on national duty. He added that seeing Pakistan’s international schedule, he will have to remain away from home for a major chunk of time and that too in bio-bubble.

Misbah-ul-Haq opens up on his step of quitting the role as head coach

“The quarantine in Jamaica post the West Indies series provided me with an opportunity to reflect on the past 24 months as well as the schedule for international cricket ahead. Considering that I would have had to continue to spend considerable time away from my family and that too in a bio-secure environment, I have decided to step down from the role. I understand that the timing may not be ideal but I don’t think I am in the right frame of mind for the upcoming challenges and it makes sense for someone fresh to step in and take the side forward,” said Misbah ul Haq after stepping down from his positions as quoted by the official website of PCB.

“After Misbah shared with me his decision and future plans, it was a straightforward one for me to resign as we had walked into the roles together, had worked collectively as a pair and now also step down together. Working with the Pakistan bowlers, including the youngsters, has been most satisfying as they have now started to show progress. Bio-secure environments in the past 16 months have had their impact, something we had never experienced during our playing days,” said Younis.