Lance Klusener will not seek an extension as the head coach of Afghanistan (update #23)

[Sir-fraz]

Former South Africa all-rounder Lance Klusener has been appointed as the new head coach of the Afghanistan cricket team. Klusener on Friday was named as the head coach and has replaced Phil Simmons for the role. Klusener is a Level 4 certified coach and has worked as a bowling coach for Indian Premier League (IPL) outfit Mumbai Indians, batting coach of South Africa Test side, consultant to South Africa National Academy, batting coach of Zimbabwe and batting coach of South Africa T20I team.

Klusener is regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders to have taken to the field to play the gentlemen’s game. He was named the Man of the Tournament in the 1999 World Cup and has won uncountable matches for the Proteas during his playing days. Klusener will start his role ahead of the series against West Indies in November.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had invited fresh applications for the position of the head coach and received over 50 requests from the candidates including Klusener. After his appointment, Klusener said he is extremely excited and honoured to work with some of the best talents in world cricket. Klusener added that with some hard work, Afghanistan can become one of the best teams in the world.

"I am extremely excited and honoured to be given the opportunity to work with some of the best talents in world cricket. Everyone knows the fearless brand of cricket Afghanistan play. I am very confident that with some hard work we can become one of the best sides in the world. I am really looking forward to working with the Afghanistan team and helping them take their cricket to the next level," Klusener said in a statement.

ACB CEO Lutfullah Stanikzai said that it will be great for the Afghanistan players to work with someone who has gained so much experience and name in the cricketing world. He was confident that Klusener’s presence will bring more confidence in the players to perform at the highest level.

"Lance Klusener is a renowned name in the cricketing world. It will be great to see our players benefit from his vast experience both as a player and a coach," Stanikzai said.

https://www.timesnownews.com/sports...istan-head-coach-replaces-phil-simmons/496215

 

[Sir-fraz]

Lance klusener appointed afghanistan head coach

Former South Africa all-rounder Lance Klusener has been appointed as new Head Coach by the Afghanistan Cricket Board.

After the tenure of former Head Coach Phil Simmons was completed, ACB invited applications for the position and received over 50 applications from candidates that also included Lance Klusener.

ACB CEO Lutfullah Stanikzai said that the process was carried out successfully concluding with the appointment of Klusener who will commence his role prior to the series against West Indies in November. He added: "Lance Klusener is a renowned name in the cricketing world. It will be great to see our players benefit from his vast experience both as a player and a coach." Mr. Stanikzai expressed confidence that Klusener's presence would prove effective in the national team's preparations for next year's Asia Cup as well as the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia.

Meanwhile, Mr. Klusener said: "I am extremely excited and honored to be given the opportunity to work with some of the best talent in world cricket. Everyone knows the fearless brand of cricket Afghanistan play. I am very confident that with some hard work we can become one of the best sides in the world. I am really looking forward to working with the Afghanistan team and helping them take their cricket to the next level."

Lance Klusener is Level 4 certified coach and has served as bowling coach of Mumbai Indians in IPL, consultant to South Africa National Academy, batting coach of South Africa Test team, Head Coach of Dolphins franchisee in South Africa domestic cricket, batting coach of Zimbabwe and most recently as batting coach of South Africa T20I team.

https://cricket.af/acb-news-info/1189

 

[Rellu_Katta]

interesting decision.... a modern day ODI giant... dont think he has enough pace bowlers to work with though

 

[sweep_shot]

Big win for Afghanistan.

Should be an interesting period for Afghans.

 

[Savak]

I find it bizzare that the PCB failed to attract Lance Klusenar but a country like Afghanistan which has faced war for 40 years which is so still on going with US forces still there managed to attract him.

Something is clearly wrong with this picture. Is the Afghanistan Cricket Board offering more money than the PCB? Surely security concerns cannot be the only problem

 

[MenInG]

I find it bizzare that the PCB failed to attract Lance Klusenar but a country like Afghanistan which has faced war for 40 years which is so still on going with US forces still there managed to attract him.

Something is clearly wrong with this picture. Is the Afghanistan Cricket Board offering more money than the PCB? Surely security concerns cannot be the only problem

Misbah will do fine compared to Kluesnar - he isnt Sir Garfield Sobers or anything like that.

 

[chacha kashmiri]

I doubt Graeme smith wrote his letter of recommendation

His attitude suits Afghanistan especially if they want to remain fearless and professional on and off the pitch

 

[Justcrazy]

I find it bizzare that the PCB failed to attract Lance Klusenar but a country like Afghanistan which has faced war for 40 years which is so still on going with US forces still there managed to attract him.

Something is clearly wrong with this picture. Is the Afghanistan Cricket Board offering more money than the PCB? Surely security concerns cannot be the only problem

That is what I am surprised with. 50 applicant were there for Afghanistan job, whereas for Pakistan absolutely none. Very disappointing.

 

[MenInG]

Lance Klusener, who took over as Afghanistan head coach in late September, has prioritised improvement in T20 cricket for the team.

Afghanistan are No.8 on the MRF Tyres ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings. The format has been a strength for them: Since the start of 2017, they've lost only one T20I series. Recently in India, against the West Indies, they came back from behind to claim the three-match series.

Now, with the ICC Men's T20 World Cup coming up in Australia in 2020, and the next edition soon after in India in 2021, Klusener wants them to take their game to another level. For the next few months, the former South African all-rounder is firmly focused on success at the Asia Cup and T20 World Cups.

"We had a great comeback in the T20 series [against West Indies. Afghanistan's strength is T20 cricket," he explained his plans in a video posted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board. "Our challenge is always to score enough runs.

"The talent is there, it's amazing, it's young, it's fresh, but sometimes in big games and against very good opposition, it's about decision making, and that has let us down a little bit."

As part of the process of improvement, Afghanistan are set to have a 10-day camp in Dubai in January. The focus there, Klusener explained, will be on batting, especially on attacking pace bowling with pulls and cuts, as well as perfecting their sweeping against spin. He urged the batsmen to build on their starts and also aim for partnerships of around 80 in the shortest format.

"And the non-negotiable for me is fielding."

Klusener is thrilled with the team he has on his hands – "It's a wonderful family to be a part of" – and is excited at the talent coming through the ranks. A good blend of "energetic youth" and "some cool heads" will work best for the team, he felt.

"We need experienced shoulders, and we need brave young talent," he said. "We need to nurture that talent, we need to help it, grow it, and show consistency in selection. Yes, youngsters do frustrate us sometimes but that's why it's important that our batting in the middle has some experience around them and cool heads around them."

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/1526655

 

[silentkiller187]

I find it bizzare that the PCB failed to attract Lance Klusenar but a country like Afghanistan which has faced war for 40 years which is so still on going with US forces still there managed to attract him.

Something is clearly wrong with this picture. Is the Afghanistan Cricket Board offering more money than the PCB? Surely security concerns cannot be the only problem

What is Klusenars credentials? why is it bizarre, i would much rather have one of our own in this occasion.

 

[light]

I find it bizzare that the PCB failed to attract Lance Klusenar but a country like Afghanistan which has faced war for 40 years which is so still on going with US forces still there managed to attract him.

Something is clearly wrong with this picture. Is the Afghanistan Cricket Board offering more money than the PCB? Surely security concerns cannot be the only problem

Where is AFG cricket base located at anyways? Thought it was somewhere in India/Pakistan?

 

[dildilpak]

I find it bizzare that the PCB failed to attract Lance Klusenar but a country like Afghanistan which has faced war for 40 years which is so still on going with US forces still there managed to attract him.

Something is clearly wrong with this picture. Is the Afghanistan Cricket Board offering more money than the PCB? Surely security concerns cannot be the only problem

Don’t forget the Afghan cricket team’s home ground is in India & maybe (i am not sure about this) they train in India too - wouldn’t be too difficult to attract coaching talent there.

 

[minamino]

Don’t forget the Afghan cricket team’s home ground is in India & maybe (i am not sure about this) they train in India too - wouldn’t be too difficult to attract coaching talent there.

You don't have to live in the country to be a coach. Waqar spent most of his time in Australia while he was the coach of Pakistan.

 

[lifecric7]

Where is AFG cricket base located at anyways? Thought it was somewhere in India/Pakistan?

Noida Uttar Pradesh India.. lot of afghanis live and work near in Delhi so easy for them to follow as well..

 

[lifecric7]

What is Klusenars credentials? why is it bizarre, i would much rather have one of our own in this occasion.

Man do some basic google search before asking credentials of legendary players. As a player he was man of the tournament in 99 and almost won his team a spot in the WC. As a coach he has won domestic tournaments of South Africa.PCB is the only board which can hire an unqualified person like Misbah without any credentials.. I mean what has he won for you guys.. the number 1 ranking was because of a rain..and he was absolutely pathetic in white ball cricket.

 

[silentkiller187]

Man do some basic google search before asking credentials of legendary players. As a player he was man of the tournament in 99 and almost won his team a spot in the WC. As a coach he has won domestic tournaments of South Africa.PCB is the only board which can hire an unqualified person like Misbah without any credentials.. I mean what has he won for you guys.. the number 1 ranking was because of a rain..and he was absolutely pathetic in white ball cricket.

We all know legendary players do not always become great coaches, and he won 1 tournament in 4 years in SA domestic cricket whats the big deal. If you said some one like Peter Moores or Mike Hesson i would have taken you seriously.

 

[topspin]

Misbah will do fine compared to Kluesnar - he isnt Sir Garfield Sobers or anything like that.

Seriously?!

One is a qualified coach who holds some coaching experience, albeit mostly gained in T20 settings.

Whereas the other holds no qualifications and coaching experience but was appointed due to corrupt process.

 

[topspin]

This appointment for me sums up why Pakistan cricket doesn't deserve to flourish.

The fact that Afghanistan's Cricket Board is making better appointments than the PCB is enough to tell you that the former is a better run organisation.

The irony is that Misbah wouldn't have a chance of landing a Coaching or Selection role in Afghanistan cricket.

 

[MenInG]

Former South Africa cricketer turned commentator Hylton Deon Ackerman was on Wednesday appointed Afghanistan’s batting coach. Ackerman ‘s tenure begins with the three-match T20I series against Ireland in March, an ICC statement confirmed.

Ackerman played four Tests for South Africa, all in 1998, and scored 161 runs from eight innings. He has impressive numbers as a first-class cricketer, with 14,625 runs at an average of 43.65 with 40 hundreds and a high score of 309*.

The coaching staff is headed by his former international teammate Lance Klusener, who was appointed in September last year, a few months after Afghanistan’s winless campaign at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.

Another Proteas cricketer who has been associated with Afghanistan cricket is Robin Peterson. He serving as Afghanistan’ss spin bowling coach while another South African in Rivash Gobind is the assistant coach.

Afghanistan’s last international assignment was against West Indies in November-December 2019. They won the T20I series 2-1, but were swept in the three-match ODI series and beaten comprehensively in the one-off Test in Lucknow.

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...appointed-as-afghanistan-batting-coach-915421

 

[omairsiddiqui]

HD Ackerman, the commentator?

 

[Abdullah719]

HD Ackerman, the commentator?

Yes.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Imposing with the bat, fearsome with the ball &#55356;&#57295;<br><br>Happy birthday Lance Klusener, the 1999 <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketworldcup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cricketworldcup</a> Player of the Tournament &#55356;&#57218; <a href="https://t.co/JsporYd6sJ">pic.twitter.com/JsporYd6sJ</a></p>— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1434041061614161920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/lance-klusener-not-to-renew-contract-with-afghanistan-cricket-team-cricket-news/article37760348.ece?__cf_chl_captcha_tk__=ZMMXg53UzwUCSncTfAWRk6Be6jtUGSsOFkU50Ou22H8-1638214291-0-gaNycGzNCL0

Lance Klusener will not seek an extension as the head coach of Afghanistan after his tenure ends on December 31.

The former South Africa international, who has been the head coach of the Afghanistan side since 2019, issued a statement on Monday, saying that he is moving on from his job with Afghanistan.

"Having spent two years with the team, I will take away some memorable moments with me," Klusener said. "As I walk away from Afghanistan cricket team and its cricketing structure, I look forward to the next stage in my coaching career and opportunities it brings," the seasoned coach added.

Afghanistan featured in the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates recently, under Klusener's coaching.

 

[gazza619]

He was probably upset at the dodgy performance against India, and rightly so.

 

[wrongun]

That's a good result for Afghans.

I doubt they can afford the Peter Moores etc of the coaching world (e.g extremely highly credentialled).

But they got a young coach with relevant quals, some talent and domestic success, who also knows all about being a pro cricketer around the world- that last part is helpful for Afghanistan, remember they don't have that pool of older/ex players who have been there, done that. It's all new to them so a guy who has also lived it, is useful.

 

[iniqbal223]

That's a good result for Afghans.

I doubt they can afford the Peter Moores etc of the coaching world (e.g extremely highly credentialled).

But they got a young coach with relevant quals, some talent and domestic success, who also knows all about being a pro cricketer around the world- that last part is helpful for Afghanistan, remember they don't have that pool of older/ex players who have been there, done that. It's all new to them so a guy who has also lived it, is useful.

About time to bring Klusner / Jayasurya for 3-5 months coaching role to work on :

Faheem, Md. Wasim , Imad Wasim, Shadab, Nawaz , etc.


I really liked this idea to have foreign coaches coming on rotational basis for 3-5 months

Wished Hayden would have stayed on longer; but results were satisfactory

 

[iniqbal223]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Imposing with the bat, fearsome with the ball ��<br><br>Happy birthday Lance Klusener, the 1999 <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketworldcup?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cricketworldcup</a> Player of the Tournament �� <a href="https://t.co/JsporYd6sJ">pic.twitter.com/JsporYd6sJ</a></p>— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1434041061614161920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

My fav.. the team player, one of the best I have seen

 

[gazza619]

My fav.. the team player, one of the best I have seen

Still feel the hurt of how he snatch a victory in the game against Pakistan in the 1999 WC. That was one of the best knocks as Wasim, Akhtar and Saqi were on fire that day. Not mention quality support bowlers like Azhar Mehmood & Razzaq.

 

[James]

He was beyond legendary as an ODI player. Every time he was on strike, something happened. What a shame that he did not get the chance to play in the final at Lord's, in that imperious form.

The 1999 World Cup is the first time that yours truly watched a full tournament of cricket. Before that I'd just seen snippets of the Ashes (I remember 1997 reasonably well).

Interested to see how Lance does as a coach.