Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson appears set to take charge of the coaching staff for the Pakistan national team. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is actively negotiating with the 41-year-old specialist to appoint him as the head coach of the “green shirts.”
Impressive results in the Pakistan Premier League
Watson’s current successful season as the coach of the Quetta Gladiators in the 2024 Pakistan Premier League has been a decisive factor in PCB’s interest. Under his guidance, the Gladiators confidently stand among the leaders, winning 4 out of 7 matches and securing the second position in the standings. This marks a revival for a team that has not reached the playoffs since 2019.
Rich playing history of Watson
Shane Watson boasts a rich history as a top-tier player, with 59 Tests, 190 ODIs, and 58 T20Is for the Australian national team. He twice became an ODI World Cup champion (in 2007 and 2015), was named the best player in PSL-2019, and emerged as the leading run-scorer in that edition with 430 runs. The versatile player retired from professional cricket in 2020.
After retiring from competitive sports, Watson ventured into coaching. In the last two seasons of the IPL, he served as an assistant for the Delhi Capitals, and in 2022, he led the San Francisco Unicorns in the Major Cricket League.
Meeting with the new PCB chairman
If the negotiations succeed, Watson will become the first foreign head coach for the Pakistan national team since 2019. Before finalizing the contract, he is set to meet with the newly appointed PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi.
PCB is considering the possibility of bringing in foreign coaches to strengthen the coaching staff of the national team. In addition to Watson, other contenders for various roles in the staff include:
- Mike Hesson (head coach of Islamabad United).
- Darren Sammy (head coach of Peshawar Zalmi).
- Sir Vivian Richards (for the role of mentor).
Appointing renowned foreign specialists will be a challenging task given their commitments in leagues worldwide.
A challenging task for the new coaching staff led by potential coach Shane Watson is to elevate Pakistani cricket to new heights. In recent years, the team has experienced ups and downs, struggling to establish itself among the unequivocal leaders in world cricket.
One of the main goals for the new leadership is to bring greater stability to the team’s results. The lack of consistency has been the Achilles’ heel of the “green shirts.” At times, they displayed phenomenal play, defeating favorites, only to suddenly lose focus and succumb to weaker opponents.
Upcoming tournaments for the Pakistan team in 2024 include:
- April: a home series of 5 T20Is against New Zealand.
- May: tours to the Netherlands (3 T20Is), Ireland (2 T20Is), and England (4 T20Is).
- June: T20 World Cup in the USA/West Indies.
- August: home Tests against Bangladesh (2 matches).
- October: hosting England in a Test series (3 matches).
- November: a tour of Australia (3 ODIs and 3 T20Is).
- November/December: tours to Zimbabwe (3 ODIs and 3 T20Is).
- December/January: a tour to South Africa (2 Tests, 3 ODIs, and 3 T20Is).
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New era with a focus on youth
Sir Vivian Richards, the legendary West Indies cricketer, highly appreciates the role of the Pakistan Premier League in nurturing the country’s young talents. According to him, under the guidance of Shane Watson and other renowned coaches, the Pakistan national team will enter a new era, with a primary focus on youth. Another challenging task will be the psychological reboot of the team. In recent years, internal conflicts and disagreements have plagued the team, undermining the atmosphere. The new authoritative coaches will need to unite the players, create a healthy moral-psychological climate based on trust and mutual understanding.
In summary, significant changes are looming in the coaching staff of the Pakistani team. The potential appointment of Shane Watson as head coach and the involvement of other star foreign specialists should breathe new life into the national team. The “green shirts” face a packed international match calendar, including the T20 World Cup in June. The upcoming period will be a test for the new coaching direction, focusing on the development of young cricket talents in Pakistan.
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