Pakistan retain Waqar as coach until England tour
AFP
AFP, KARACHI: Pakistan said Thursday they will keep national team head coach Waqar Younis in place until the end of their England tour later this year.
Waqars two-year contract expires in May, but Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan said his team management would continue until September.
We have not taken a final decision on the contracts of the team management but Waqar and other staff will continue until the end of Pakistans tour of England, Khan told the news agency.
Pakistan play four Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 on the tour which starts June 29. After two warm-up games the first Test starts at Lords from July 14.
Waqar took over as head coach in June 2013, and under him Pakistan have lost six of their nine one-day series.
They have shown improvement in Tests, however, winning four of their six series, losing one and drawing the other.
I appreciate that Pakistan Cricket Board and its chairman Shaharyar Khan have trust in my ability. I will always do my best to lift the team, Waqar said.
The tour will be Pakistans first to England since their infamous tour in 2010 when three players -- then Test captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir -- were charged for spot-fixing during the Lords Test. All three were jailed in Britain.
However, they completed their five-year bans in September last year and are eligible to play at international level.
Amir has since been selected in Pakistans limited over squad for the tour of New Zealand starting with the first Twenty20 on January 15.
Pakistan will play three Twenty20 and as many one-day internationals on the New Zealand tour.
