Misbah to step down as Pakistan cricket chief selector

Misbah-ul-Haq will step down as Pakistan cricket chief selector next month but will continue as head coach of the national team.

“Coaching is my passion and my ultimate objective remains to contribute to the development of players and help the side achieve bigger successes,” Misbah said Wednesday.

Misbah accepted the dual role of head coach and chief selector last year, but he said he wants to focus on coaching the senior Pakistan team.

Misbah said he had been weighing the demands of the dual responsibilities for some time and after talking with the coaches of cricket associations recently, it helped him make the decision to quit as chief selector.

Pakistan has a busy international schedule until July 2022 during which it won’t be possible for Misbah to watch players performing in domestic cricket.

“The chief selector has to be able to watch as much domestic cricket as possible,” Misbah said. “With a big 24 months now coming up, we have mutually agreed that there is a need for me now to be fully focused on one role.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board did not disclose who will replace Misbah as chief selector, but said Misbah will name the squads for the forthcoming home limited-overs series against Zimbabwe and away series in New Zealand.

“Over the last two weeks, Misbah has worked closely with the other selectors to finalize the squads for both the upcoming series with Zimbabwe and the New Zealand tour, which will follow in November,” PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said.

“We are grateful that this process is near completion, allowing time for the new chief selector to be in post to begin work from 1 December," Khan said.

The new chief selector will be appointed ahead of Pakistan’s scheduled home series against South Africa in January 2021 comprising two test matches and three Twenty20s.

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