Pakistan coach to be named after Bangladesh tour

The PCB coach hunt committee has decided on its choice for head coach and specialised coaches, but will make a formal announcement after the Bangladesh tour, with the incumbent in place for next January's series against England. Dav Whatmore is seen as the front-runner for the top job with Mohsin Khan, Aaqib Javed and Julien Fountain tipped to get the batting, bowling and fielding roles.

Col Naushad Ali, a member of the committee and currently assistant manager of the national team, said the committee had made its decision. "The person we have picked as head coach is very well suited to Pakistan," Ali said. "He is the one who suits the temperament of Pakistan cricket and [that] of its team."

Whatmore, currently coach of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, was linked with the post on an earlier occasion, when the PCB eventually picked Geoff Lawson. This time, his name is believed to be favoured by the committee members - Ali, Intikhab Alam, Zaheer Abbas and Ramiz Raja (though the last-named has been out of loop while on tour as a commentator).

When contacted by ESPNcricinfo, Whatmore refused to shed any light on the issue. "I can't say anything," he said. "I am in no position to say anything."

The committee - which is believed to favour home-grown batting and bowling coaches, given Pakistan's traditional strengths in those disciplines - is yet to conduct a formal interview with any of the candidates, but is understood to have been in touch through mail and phone. It is believed the PCB had set up a meeting between Alam and Whatmore under the Ijaz Butt regime but it was cancelled following the change in administration.

The appointment of a coach will fill a slot that's been lying vacant for the past five months, since Waqar Younis stepped down on health grounds. Mohsin Khan was named interim coach and it's understood he wants to continue in some coaching capacity rather than return to a selectorial role.

"I think I have done fairly a good job," Khan told ESPNcricinfo last month. "I haven't applied for the coaching job but if they [the PCB] ask me to carry on, I'd love to do so."

Raza Shaukat is Asia Cricket Pakistan correspondent

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© Asia Cricket Ltd.

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Pakistan spinners seal clean sweep

Pakistan 177 (Umar 57, Misbah 47, Razzak 3-21, Mahmudullah 3-4) beat Bangladesh 119 (Mahmudullah 35, Hafeez 3-27, Malik 3-6) by 58 runs

	Mohammad Hafeez overpowered Bangladesh with 3 for
Bangladesh had an opportunity to end a losing streak against Pakistan that has lasted 12 years, but the visiting spinners were good enough to put the target of 178 far out of their reach. The track was tailored to suit Bangladesh's strength - spin - but it backfired since they didn't have the batsmen capable of sticking it out long enough to entertain thoughts of earning a consolation win.

Pakistan took the series 3-0, but not without some sweat. Their batsmen too were found wanting against spin, losing nine wickets to the slower men and failing to bat out 50 overs. In the context of the struggles faced by the batsmen from both sides, the stand of 94 between Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal proved the difference. Bangladesh had a similar foundation going between Shahriar Nafees and Mahmudullah, but a floodlight failure disturbed the concentration of the well-set pair and brought about a power-shift towards Pakistan's spinners. Bangladesh crumbled quickly from then, losing their last nine wickets for 50 runs.

Having lost Tamim Iqbal first ball, the pressure was on Bangladesh, with a slip and short leg and the new balls turning and bouncing. The pair of Nafees and Mahmudullah were watchful but importantly, ensured they didn't go scoreless for lengthy periods - a factor in Bangladesh's previous defeats this series. Mahmudullah slogged Mohammad Hafeez in the third over to get the first boundary bogey off the team's back.

The pair gave Bangladesh the edge with a stand of 69, essayed with sweeps off Abdur Rehman and cuts off Shahid Afridi, who in his urgency to break an unusual wicketless-streak - which has lasted two matches - fired the ball too flat.

The interruption after the 15th over, caused a downturn in Bangladesh's fortunes. Saeed Ajmal trapped Nafees lbw playing down the wrong line, before Rehman caught Mushfiqur Rahim in front while trying to sweep. Bangladesh lost their third wicket in as many overs when Hafeez got one to turn sharply and trap Mahmudullah on the backfoot. Both Shakib Al Hasan and Nasir Hossain were out cheaply , spooning catches as the chase fell off the rails.

The lower order had no respite. The parsimonious Saeed Ajmal, bowling round the wicket, was scoreless off the bat for 28 successive deliveries. He was lucky, though, to get Farhad Reza lbw, off a thick inside edge. Bangladesh had a semblance of a recovery with a stand of 34 between Reza and Alok Kapali, but the howler cut short their hopes.

The pitch wasn't exactly a minefield, as Misbah and Umar showed. The ball gripped, turned, bounced and forced the visitors to concentrate more than they've had to so far in the series. They had their anxious moments with the ball keeping low, some sliding past the outside edge and the stumps. It wasn't easy for the wicketkeeper Mushfiqur, who by the 15th over had already conceded 12 byes, a Bangladesh record.

Coming in at 39 for 3, Misbah and Umar steadied the innings with a watchful approach against spin. Misbah opened up against Elias Sunny, hammering boundaries to midwicket and down the ground. He also tried disturbing the bowler's rhythm by moving across his stumps to paddle, at times bringing out the reverse sweep. Umar used his feet well, though it was one of his more patient knocks as he regularly came forward to smother the spin and defend. Umar fetched two sixes off Nasir, using his feet for both.

The tide turned when Misbah departed, making room and spooning a catch to short extra cover off Razzak. The wickets started to tumble, leaving Umar with greater responsibility than he would have expected. However, he too trooped off to the pavilion, beaten for turn and bounce by Sunny. Mahmudullah triggered an early end to the innings, assisted by Mushfiqur, who by then was seeing the ball like a football in fading light.

Bangladesh walked off after wrapping up Pakistan a more confident unit. Unfortunately, they couldn't counter the most penetrative spin attack in the world.

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Pakistan coach to be named after Bangladesh tour

The PCB coach hunt committee has decided on its choice for head coach and specialised coaches, but will make a formal announcement after the Bangladesh tour, with the incumbent in place for next January's series against England. Dav Whatmore is seen as the front-runner for the top job with Mohsin Khan, Aaqib Javed and Julien Fountain tipped to get the batting, bowling and fielding roles.

Col Naushad Ali, a member of the committee and currently assistant manager of the national team, said the committee had made its decision. "The person we have picked as head coach is very well suited to Pakistan," Ali said. "He is the one who suits the temperament of Pakistan cricket and [that] of its team."

Whatmore, currently coach of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, was linked with the post on an earlier occasion, when the PCB eventually picked Geoff Lawson. This time, his name is believed to be favoured by the committee members - Ali, Intikhab Alam, Zaheer Abbas and Ramiz Raja (though the last-named has been out of loop while on tour as a commentator).

When contacted by ESPNcricinfo, Whatmore refused to shed any light on the issue. "I can't say anything," he said. "I am in no position to say anything."

The committee - which is believed to favour home-grown batting and bowling coaches, given Pakistan's traditional strengths in those disciplines - is yet to conduct a formal interview with any of the candidates, but is understood to have been in touch through mail and phone. It is believed the PCB had set up a meeting between Alam and Whatmore under the Ijaz Butt regime but it was cancelled following the change in administration.

The appointment of a coach will fill a slot that's been lying vacant for the past five months, since Waqar Younis stepped down on health grounds. Mohsin Khan was named interim coach and it's understood he wants to continue in some coaching capacity rather than return to a selectorial role.

"I think I have done fairly a good job," Khan told ESPNcricinfo last month. "I haven't applied for the coaching job but if they [the PCB] ask me to carry on, I'd love to do so."

Umar Farooq is ESPNcricinfo's Pakistan correspondent

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Only T20I: Pakistan defeated Bangladesh convincingly

Dhaka: Pakistan cruised to a 50-run victory over Bangladesh in their one-off Twenty20. Mohammad Hafeez was named man of the match after scoring a quick-fire 25 and picking up figures of 2-11 from four overs with the ball.

Pakistan Cricket Team is posing with the trophy

Hafeez and Imran Farhat put on 30 for the first wicket after the Pakistanis elected to bat first in Dhaka, before the latter was caught behind off Bangladeshi orthodox spinner Shakib Al Hasan (2-24).

Asad Shafiq (19) came in and added another 31 for the second wicket, before Hafeez was bowled by Al Hasan.

Pakistan’s middle-order chipped in to boost their total, with Umar Akmal (20) and Misbah-ul-Haq (21) providing handy contributions to help the visitors finish on 7-135.

Bangladesh’s chase barely gathered steam, as they slumped to 5-23 in the ninth over.

Their top four batsmen – Naeem Islam, Imrul Kayes, Alok Kapali and Al Hasan – combined for just 12 runs as Pakistan took a stranglehold on the match.

Hafeez claimed the scalps of Kapali and Al Hasan, while also having a hand in running out Kayes.

Nasir Hossain, the number seven bat, salvaged some respectability for his side by striking 35 from 38 deliveries, helping Bangladesh reach 85-9 through 20 overs.

Mushfiqur Rahim (10) was the only other batsman in double figures, with the extras (11) the second-highest total on their scorecard.

Bangladesh and Pakistan will begin their three-match ODI series at Dhaka on Thursday, before contesting a two-Test series.

Result: Pakistan won by 50 runs.

Man Of The Match: Mohammad Hafeez (Pakistan).

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