Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis have resigned from their respective coaching roles with the Pakistan men’s team ahead of the T20 World Cup. On Monday, the duo stepped down from their positions of the head coach and the bowling coach.
The news of the resignations from Misbah and Waqar was made public by the Pakistan Cricket Board only a few hours after the squad for the upcoming ICC event, as well as home series versus New Zealand and England, was confirmed.
Misbah indicated he is feeling the bio-bubble fatigue after repeated tours amid the COVID-19 pandemic this year, adding that he got time to reflect upon things and challenges ahead during quarantine in Jamaica post the recent West Indies series.
“Considering that I would have had to continue to spend considerable time away from my family and that too in a bio-secure environment, I have decided to step down from the role,”
Misbah was quoted as saying in a PCB media release.
The former Pakistan captain recognises that the timing of leaving the team at such a critical point may “not be ideal” but he is not in the right frame of mind to continue in his post and that “someone fresh” now needs to take over.
The fast bowling legend Waqar said since he and Misbah had walked into their respective roles together, it is only right that they also left their posts at the same time.
Waqar mentioned it was a “straightforward” call for him the moment Misbah informed him of his plan to quit the head coach’s role.
The PCB has announced that Saqlain Mushtaq and Abdul Razzaq will join the support staff on an interim basis for New Zealand series. The team management for the T20 World Cup, starting October 17, will be confirmed in due course.
