Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis have both stepped down from their Pakistan coaching roles, according to reports from ESPNcricinfo.Misbah, the head coach, told the press of the toll being taken by bio-secure environments and a shortage of time spent with his family. Waqar, the now former bowling coach, stated he thought it appropriate to step away with his colleague as they had begun their stints together.
The pair both had another year left on their contracts, which began in 2019, and will be replaced by the interim appointments of Saqlain Mushtaq and Abdul Razzaq. Misbah apologised for the less-than-ideal timing of his departure, given the upcoming white ball series against New Zealand and England followed by the T20 World Cup, but said he was not in the appropriate headspace to continue.
It is, along with the squad released this morning for the World Cup, reported to be another mark left by the incoming PCB chairman Ramiz Raja, who will officially begin his role on September 13 but is beginning to have an influence. The PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan fully endorsed the decisions of Misbah and Waqar, thanking them for their contributions to the dressing room.
