PCB mulls axing of Test head coach Sarfaraz

Lahore, June 8:

After the recent 0-2 drubbing at the hands of Bangladesh, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is mulling to sack the Test team’s head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and captain Shan Masood.

The PCB sources informed that the board was in talks with former players Younis Khan and Muhammad Hafeez, asking them to take up some key posts with the national team.

“I can confirm that Younis Khan and Muhammad Hafeez have both had talks with PCB officials about joining the board in key positions. But things have yet to be finalised,” the source said.

He said advisors of PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi suggested a revamp in the Pakistan Test squad set-up after the defeat against Bangladesh.

“There is a proposal to remove Sarfaraz as head coach and hand him back the responsibility of managing the national under-19 and A sides,” the source said.

He said Sarfaraz could only face the sack once the board was able to reach an agreement with former captain Younis, who in the past had kept some strict conditions for accepting any post.

The source said the board was certainly looking at replacing Masood as Test captain although he had asked for more time to lead the team in the coming away series against West Indies and England.

Hafeez, he said, was being considered to step in as chief selector and also head the international cricket department but only initial talks had been held between him and the board officials.

“In Hafeez’s case, there is a feeling that since the former player has been pretty critical about the team and board in media roping him in might create an impression he has been offered a position to stop his criticism,” the source added.