- Umar Gul has emerged as a strong candidate for the bowling coach role.
- Gul’s assignment as bowling coach of the Afghanistan cricket team came to an end recently.
- The 40-year-old made 237 international appearances for Pakistan across formats.
Umar Gul, a former fast bowler for Pakistan, has emerged as a leading contender for the position of bowling coach for the Men in Green, sources told Geo News on Monday.
It is important to note that Gul’s role as the Afghanistan cricket team’s bowling coach recently came to an end.
The 40-year-old represented Pakistan in 237 international matches across all forms, grabbing 85 wickets in 60 T20Is and 179 in 130 ODIs with a remarkable career economy of 7.19.
He was also crucial to Pakistan’s successful T20 World Cup campaign in 2009.
The great all-rounder Shahid Afridi is also up for appointment as chief selector till the 2023 World Cup in India, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee, which is overseen by Najam Sethi.
Prior to the home series against New Zealand, the PCB has nominated Afridi as the temporary chair of the Men’s National Selection Committee.
“I feel honoured to have been assigned this responsibility by the PCB Management Committee and will leave no stone unturned in fulfilling this responsibility to the best of my abilities,” Afridi was quoted as saying in a PCB press release.
“We need to get back to our winning ways and I have no doubts that through meritocratic and strategic selection decisions, we will help the national side to perform strongly in the series against New Zealand and reclaim the confidence of our fans,” he added.
Former cricket players Abdul Razzaq and Rao Iftikhar Anjum are also on the panel, and Haroon Rashid, a member of the management committee, is the moderator.
Between 1996 and 2018, Shahid Afridi participated in 27 Tests, 398 ODIs, and 99 T20Is during which time he amassed 11,196 runs and 541 wickets. In 83 international games, he also served as captain of the home team. He additionally competed for Pakistan in the 2009 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Afridi was also appointed to the management committee but declined since he preferred to concentrate on his philanthropic organisation.
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