PAK vs NZ: Ex-India head coach front-runner to become Pakistan coach, announcement to be made by April end: Report

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly set to announce the head coaches for Pakistan's red and white-ball teams by the end of the ongoing month.

Pakistan do not have a head coach since Grant Bradburn stepped down from the post after the team's dismal performance in the ODI World Cup last year. During the tour of Australia and New Zealand, former allrounder Mohammad Hafeez served as the interim coach.

The new PCB committee under the chairmanship of Mohsin Naqvi was expected to announce the head coaches before the start of the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand. However, PCB will take some more time before finalizing the names. 

Gary Kirsten, Jason Gillespie in the fray:

As per reports, former India head coach Gary Kirsten and former Australia pacer Jason Gillespie have applied for the post. The PCB has also received received applications from a couple of other reputed coaches earlier this month. A PCB official has said that while the board is interested in Kirsten and Gillespie, the new applicants are also in contention.

"The PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi has made it clear that the long-term appointments of coaches will be done through a due process and all commitments would be met by the board," the source told PTI.

The PCB is also making sure to follow due process in appointing coaches. The last time it followed the process was in 2019 when Misbah-ul-Haq was named as the head coach and chief selector. Since then, all appointments have either been made on a consultancy or interim basis.

"Even in Kirsten and Gillespie’s case though, the board has held direct negotiations with them, and they remain top candidates to be appointed head coaches, (but) they were also told to apply through due process by the deadline," the source said.

"Even Azhar Mahmood has to go through the process, and currently, he was named head coach for the New Zealand series on a consultancy basis," the source added.

Pakistan will be hoping that the coaches are finalized soon and they start their final preparations for this year's T20 World Cup. The Men in Green have performed poorly in recent months and would be desperate to do well in the marquee event, scheduled to be played in June this year. Pakistan were the runners-up in the last edition of the T20 World Cup and will be eyeing the title this year.