Former Team India head coach Gary Kirsten is a leading contender to take over as Pakistan men’s cricket team coach on a permanent basis. Pakistan, who are currently on a roll in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, currently have legendary Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden as the batting consultant for the showpiece event.
Kirsten, alongside Simon Katich and Peter Moores, is in the race to take over the position.
Last month, both head coach Misbah-Ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis had resigned shortly after Ramiz Raja’s appointment as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman.
For the ongoing T20 World Cup, Saqlain Mushtaq was appointed as interim head coach with Hayden and former South African pacer Vernon Philander as part of the coaching staff.
It is believed that Raja wants the new head coach to be a foreigner. However, PCB could face an uphill task to convince the desired candidate to take up the job and let go of the chance of taking up a similar role with a T20 franchise.
Kirsten was the Indian head coach from 2008 to 2011 and helped the Men in Blue win the 2011 World Cup. He was also involved in taking the team to the summit of the Test rankings and winning a Test series in New Zealand.
