What's new

Should Saqlain Mushtaq be appointed as Head Coach for Pakistan?

Should Saqlain Mushtaq be appointed as Head Coach for Pakistan?


  • Total voters
    42

MenInG

PakPassion Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Runs
217,944
A brilliant WT20 campaign, successful tour of Bangladesh and a management style which seems to be unobtrusive and he also seems to be well liked by players.

So yay or nay?
 
He should be a permanent interim manager/coach but Pakistan needs a strong foreign head coach from SENA
 
I think he is doing a good job. Pakistan are clicking well under him.

He should be the head coach.
 
I think he is doing great. If their not able to get a foreign coach than he seems like the best coaching option we have in terms of pakistani coaches

If we can get a foreign coach go for it
If not than stick with him.
 
Should ask the players for feedback. He should go through the interview, vetting process and reapply for the job on a full time basis.
 
Yes he is perfect. A home coach so no communication problems. Has experience with playing and doing well in subcontinent conditions. And coaching experience on the international level with several countries. I don't really think we could get a better option right now.

Most foreign coaches would not work in our setup, especially ones who do not know how to coach a team in asian conditions (which Mickey failed at with both Pakistan and Sri Lanka despite England away success). The majority of our matches are in asia, we need a coach that can do well there as that is the priority.

I think a foreign coach should only be considered if we were already doing well at home, and we needed to make the next step and improve away.

I don't know why people are desperate for a SENA coach. SENA countries aren't desperate for asian coaches, and are even happy to appoint guys with no international experience just domestic experience in their country.
 
Should ask the players for feedback. He should go through the interview, vetting process and reapply for the job on a full time basis.

I am sure they will do all that but wonder if it will be just a formality as is usually the case in PCB.
 
No

Pakistan need to get a foreign coach.

Saqlain should be used as assistant coach , and spin bowling coach with national Team as well as NCA
 
What's to like is that he's been at the very top of his own field, played alongside superstar personalities in the 90's era and has spent time in senior positions abroad.

There's a lot of positives there alone.
 
What's to like is that he's been at the very top of his own field, played alongside superstar personalities in the 90's era and has spent time in senior positions abroad.

There's a lot of positives there alone.
Not to forget he is a legend at Surrey.
 
Definitely not.

- Does not come across as a leader. More of an 'organiser'.
- Seems to lack authority.
- Doubt if he has the backbone to put his foot down and use discipline where needed
- Doesn't seem to have much of a say so far


We need a foreign coach as Pak coaches come with baggage and are subject to internal pressures.
 
Last edited:
Not sure how big an impact the Head Coach even has at international level. Coaches at domestic and NHPC like MoYo are the ones that will improve the players. At international level, it's more about game-to-game analysis and in-game decisions. Analysts and fielding/fitness coaches are more important nowadays.

Head Coach just needs to be able to motivate and talk, so a home coach who has a lot of experience abroad too shouldn't be so bad.
 
Kindly add another option in the poll, he should be made spin bowling coach or assistant coach of the team but should remain with the team.
 
A brilliant WT20 campaign, successful tour of Bangladesh and a management style which seems to be unobtrusive and he also seems to be well liked by players.

So yay or nay?

Modern cricket is all about ( almost ) fitness, looking at Saqi, he does not look like even a school team's coach. How can you not look at your physique if you want to be a professional coach, seriously. He has been spin bowling consultant of many teams in the past but I don;t think he has ever been a full time coach of any team even at club level, or has he ??
 
Modern cricket is all about ( almost ) fitness, looking at Saqi, he does not look like even a school team's coach. How can you not look at your physique if you want to be a professional coach, seriously. He has been spin bowling consultant of many teams in the past but I don;t think he has ever been a full time coach of any team even at club level, or has he ??

Tbf to Saqi, his knees are gone. He had surgeries on them which were unsuccessful and effectively ended his career. Anyone with dibilitating knee problems knows how it destroys your ability to run and when you can't run belly fat and weight gain is guaranteed.
 
I am yet to see any input from Saqlain as a coach. He agreed with Babar to select to useless players like Azhar and Sajid instead of using inform player like Kamran/Saud. Fawad is not long term solution but Saqlain didn't even think that. Saqlain can work as a assistant bowling coach as best, not as main coach.
 
Definitely not.

- Does not come across as a leader. More of an 'organiser'.
- Seems to lack authority.
- Doubt if he has the backbone to put his foot down and use discipline where needed
- Doesn't seem to have much of a say so far


We need a foreign coach as Pak coaches come with baggage and are subject to internal pressures.

Exactly!!! He agreed with Babar to keep expire Azhar and useless Sajid.
 
“Saqlain will continue to be the interim head coach of the national cricket team for the limited overs series against West Indies,” a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official has said as per a media report.
 
Last edited:
“Saqlain will continue to be the interim head coach of the national cricket team for the limited overs series against West Indies,” a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official has said.

Why taking so long time? The new coach cannot improve team 1 month before Australia series. Typical dumb people running PCB.
 
Modern cricket is all about ( almost ) fitness, looking at Saqi, he does not look like even a school team's coach. How can you not look at your physique if you want to be a professional coach, seriously. He has been spin bowling consultant of many teams in the past but I don;t think he has ever been a full time coach of any team even at club level, or has he ??

Im guessing you haven't seen England's coach then? his nickname whilst playing was chubby can only imagine what it is now.
 
Not sure how big an impact the Head Coach even has at international level. Coaches at domestic and NHPC like MoYo are the ones that will improve the players. At international level, it's more about game-to-game analysis and in-game decisions. Analysts and fielding/fitness coaches are more important nowadays.

Head Coach just needs to be able to motivate and talk, so a home coach who has a lot of experience abroad too shouldn't be so bad.

Surely the head coach has greater input then this?

The head coach can make key decisions. For example, in the 1st test, we were playing a very weak BD team. The last test series before the Aussies. Now was the time to experiment. And they bottled it. That was the coach's fault. Saqi is a yes man - whatever Babar says he agrees with.

Also - strategy and mindset. The Captain is the most important person for a cricket team. But the coach can work with him to impact a positive mindset to the players and advise on strategy. The coach for example has to point out where Babar and the players are making mistakes.

The coach is crucial but has to be a strong character with no bias, no links, no baggage. Therefore a coach from SENA.
 
Tbf to Saqi, his knees are gone. He had surgeries on them which were unsuccessful and effectively ended his career. Anyone with dibilitating knee problems knows how it destroys your ability to run and when you can't run belly fat and weight gain is guaranteed.

There are dozen other low impact exercises for joints to keep wait in check even with crooked knees.
 
Surely the head coach has greater input then this?

The head coach can make key decisions. For example, in the 1st test, we were playing a very weak BD team. The last test series before the Aussies. Now was the time to experiment. And they bottled it. That was the coach's fault. Saqi is a yes man - whatever Babar says he agrees with.

Also - strategy and mindset. The Captain is the most important person for a cricket team. But the coach can work with him to impact a positive mindset to the players and advise on strategy. The coach for example has to point out where Babar and the players are making mistakes.

The coach is crucial but has to be a strong character with no bias, no links, no baggage. Therefore a coach from SENA.

Exactly!!!! He let Babar to play all 8 matches with same team without any single change which includes 2 practice matches +2 matches against Namibia and Scotland. Babar's stubbornness cost us semi. This guy got lots of money from PCB for Ajmal but failed to fixed his bowling. I think even Misbah would have tried 1 or 2 players in those 4 games.
 
“Saqlain will continue to be the interim head coach of the national cricket team for the limited overs series against West Indies,” a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official has said.

PCB source talking to us in response:

"Things seem to be heading this way, but final decision is yet to be made"
 
Before the Champions Trophy 2017, Umar Akmal joined the squad in England. Mickey Arthur arranged fitness tests for the whole squad and sent back Akmal because he failed.

Ask yourself - how many Pakistan coaches would have the balls to do something like this?

In Pakistan, it is almost as difficult for a senior to be dropped as it is for a new guy to make his debut. This mindset has to change if we are to be a top team. Countries like Australia are ruthless when it comes to dropping players who are past their best. It has been plainly obvious for 3 years that Azhar Ali should be replaced. Instead we have stuck with him and not identified a replacement. We need to be courageous on and off the pitch.
 
I'm still not sure what is the actual responsibilities of Saqlain? Our spinners apart from Shadab are pretty average since he took over the job. He doesn't have any say in selection......
 
A strong captain is enougn


The support staff has to be good and is far more important than head coach
 
Saqlain's Coaching system...

<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/d1ov2c" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>
 
Imad Wasim speaking about Saqlain Mushtaq:

PakPassion.net: What’s it been like to work with Saqlain Mushtaq recently?

Imad Wasim: Regardless of what happens in future in terms of our team management, it must be said that Saqlain Mushtaq is one of only a few guys who understands the psychology of the players. He gives logical reasons for his decisions, and he is one of the best guys I have worked with. The knowledge he has about spin bowling is out of this world. I’ve worked with Mushtaq Ahmed and now Saqlain Mushtaq and both are fantastic coaches who I have learnt a lot of new tricks from. They are excellent coaches too when it comes to the tactical and mental side of the game.
 
Imad Wasim speaking about Saqlain Mushtaq:

PakPassion.net: What’s it been like to work with Saqlain Mushtaq recently?

Imad Wasim: Regardless of what happens in future in terms of our team management, it must be said that Saqlain Mushtaq is one of only a few guys who understands the psychology of the players. He gives logical reasons for his decisions, and he is one of the best guys I have worked with. The knowledge he has about spin bowling is out of this world. I’ve worked with Mushtaq Ahmed and now Saqlain Mushtaq and both are fantastic coaches who I have learnt a lot of new tricks from. They are excellent coaches too when it comes to the tactical and mental side of the game.

That's the last nail in the coffin regarding decision for the head coach.

In my opinion

Saqlain head coach
Azhar bowling coach or even Philander
Yousuf batting coach
Fielding coach should be foreigner a kiwi or ausie
 
Saqlain was a fabulous bowler but pakistan would be better off to have a different coach since with Saqlain eventually religion will creep into pakistani cricket team culture and things will go bad from that point of time.
 
Tbf to Saqi, his knees are gone. He had surgeries on them which were unsuccessful and effectively ended his career. Anyone with dibilitating knee problems knows how it destroys your ability to run and when you can't run belly fat and weight gain is guaranteed.

Seriously, you think running is the only way of keeping yourself fit ? If he can walk, he can swim and there are so many exercises with zero impact on knees . Have you seen people in western countries ( due to their awareness to fitness ) , with knee problem and their fitness level. There is no reason he cannot get knee replacement, a routine surgery anywhere in the world including Pakistan . If he is that handicapped , better not have a professional sports related job.
 
Modern cricket is all about ( almost ) fitness, looking at Saqi, he does not look like even a school team's coach. How can you not look at your physique if you want to be a professional coach, seriously. He has been spin bowling consultant of many teams in the past but I don;t think he has ever been a full time coach of any team even at club level, or has he ??

Darren Lehmann and David Saker say hi.
 
Should be made assistant coach and Paul Farbrace or Andy Flower should be made Head Coach
 
I was on the fence regarding him but he has pleasantly surprised me. Granted he is following Misbah who was a complete horror show but team seems to be responding to his methods. Long may it continue.


One thing I've noticed is Babar the captain seems more comfortable in his skin rather than when Misbah was coach, seems like Misbah wasn't letting Babar have much say while with Saqi as coach you can tell that Babar is THE captain.
 
Saqlain was a fabulous bowler but pakistan would be better off to have a different coach since with Saqlain eventually religion will creep into pakistani cricket team culture and things will go bad from that point of time.

no proof of this occurring , just a pointless post
 
He should continue as head coach.

think he should continue with hayden and philander - both signing new contract extensions, still think we should get sangakarra in, but doubt we can have him n hayden.

Should we get a all rounder coach in - past decade we've just produce bits and pieces - even haider ali looks like he will improve with the bat - cant see him improving his bowling
 
I've been surprised as to how well the team has done so far under his coaching, given his lack of experience as a Head Coach.

Let's see if it's enough to convince PCB to appoint him on a permanent basis.
 
I've been surprised as to how well the team has done so far under his coaching, given his lack of experience as a Head Coach.

Let's see if it's enough to convince PCB to appoint him on a permanent basis.

Again , victory has thousand fathers , now everyone is taking credit . At the most Saqi can be a spin bowling consultant but not the full time coach. He has no experience of being a full time coach of any major team, not even junior team, same as MIsbah . Pakistan team is not the place for learning at the job.
 
Again , victory has thousand fathers , now everyone is taking credit . At the most Saqi can be a spin bowling consultant but not the full time coach. He has no experience of being a full time coach of any major team, not even junior team, same as MIsbah . Pakistan team is not the place for learning at the job.

Tbh I agree with Ramiz old school approach of letting the captain and players take ownership of everything. The coach can't really do much at the international level other than play a consultation role which is what Hayden and Philander did in their brief tenure
 
Mohsin Khan. He looked so good when we defeated England in the UAE. Still can't understand why he was sacked also his knowledge of Cricket is second to none. Saqi, no thanks.
 
Tbh I agree with Ramiz old school approach of letting the captain and players take ownership of everything. The coach can't really do much at the international level other than play a consultation role which is what Hayden and Philander did in their brief tenure

I agree with Head coach but bowling and batting coach is a lot more important according to me. They need to be really good.
 
Babar Azam:

"Saqlain Mushtaq always backs us. He sits with us and discusses plans which is best for the team. Saqlain Mushtaq suggests to players that Pakistan should be at first priority because we play for a nation of twenty-two crore and we owe to give them happiness"
 
Sqlain Mushtaq is too rigid to change or experiment more than Misbah. He played same team for 8 consecutive matches in T20 which includes 2 practice matches and 2 against small team. He had plenty of matches to try Nawaz, Dhani or Wasim but he insisted on Hasan Ali, and it cost us heavily in the final.

Against Bangladesh he also fielded same team in test matches persisting with Azhar, Nauman and Fahim.

We need a professional foreign coach who can think out of the box.
 
Working hard with the Pakistan spinners at least

b0df758b-5c81-4311-9dc4-2fb0d5fe6704.jpg
 
In a recent interview:

“A player-coach relationship is like the relationship of a body with its soul. The player is the body, and the coach is the soul. So, the coach should know the player like the soul knows the body"

“It is important for a coach to understand everything about the player – his emotions, his thoughts, his approach – before going into technical details. If a coach doesn’t understand his player’s mind, then he won’t be able to get the best out of the player.”

“Players are giving their all, their heart and soul, in the field, during practice [sessions] and matches. I will give a lot of credit to them"

“I am enjoying my time with the Pakistan team as head coach. It is always an honour to serve your country. Every day is a new day and I start my day with thoughts of serving Pakistan cricket and the players."

“I prefer empowering players and I let them express their mind after telling them about the options. It is heartening to see players backing each other"

“The world recognizes Pakistan’s talent and potential, and one reason for our unmatched talent is that we are self-made cricketers. A majority of our players are self-taught on the streets while playing grassroots cricket. We, as cricketers in Pakistan, undergo a tough environment at the grassroots level which helps us become stronger at the top level"

“I must say that what he did against India, especially those two deliveries – I’ve not seen anything like that in my whole life. Those two deliveries gave Pakistan a new energy and a fresh belief"

“His attitude is tremendous, he’s never tired and always ready to bowl for the country and contribute to the cause. His work ethic is also exemplary, he is always focused on his game, which makes him a successful player"

“The world recognizes Babar as the number one batter. There’s no doubt about his greatness. His mindset, his calmness is remarkable. He is a megastar of Pakistan Cricket. I pray that he dominates like this for a longer period"
 
As long as we don't pay a stupid salary to coach that will have no impact then I am happy. These coaches are the biggest scamsters in cricket. Use the money saved and pay local players better, play more matches. It's beyond stupid that we only have 10 FC games, there should be at least 14 in a season and a final.
 
Ramiz Raja on appointment of full-time coach:

“We are a mid-tier team in Tests and ODIs and the good thing about that is that gives us a chance to experiment"

“I don’t have a set opinion on coaches - Long-term coaching contracts get stuck sometimes and we’d rather hire specialists on a series-by-series basis"

“Saqlain has created an environment in the team but I believe the best coaches should be at the grassroots and youth levels.”
 
Happy birthday to Saqlain - Born: December 29, 1976 (age 45 years), Lahore, Pakistan

<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 80.000%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/ice0a5" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>
 
So Saqlain will continue as a head coach. I like Saqlain but he has one track mind. He will play same 11 unless we loose a series.
 
Ramiz Raja in his latest message:

"I talked to Babar, Saqlain, Rizwan and they opined to integrate foreign coaches in the national team's dressing room"

"But my way of thinking is quite open on this as I think that locals should be involved on away tours. You need regular coaches only to create the best dressing room environment"

On why no extra coaches werent used for Windies series:

"I wanted to see how they can stand on their feet with their own thinking. One can't have any idea of greatness when he can't grind in the difficult situation without any support"
 
Last edited:
So Saqlain's contract was which uptil end of BD tour as he was an interim Head Coach has come to an end. He's not stepped down as reported by some.

PCB have already advertised for coaches and the decision for Saqlain's replacement will be taken accordingly.
 
I'd reckon it likely that Saqlain's contract is extended till the end of 2022 and he's allowed to take charge for all of Pakistan's big series at home this year.
 
Oh, no, Saqlain does not look like a coach and he is not a coach for a national team. Never had done this before . This is no place for learning on the job or , "will hire you and will train". Is PCB saving money ? Looks extremely unfit, does not look like he takes care of himself overall, what kind of national coach he will be .
 
Former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq has conveyed to the PCB that he would be unable to take up the head coach job with the national team on a full time basis due to his personal commitments.

According to a well-informed source in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Saqlain, who has worked as interim head coach with the Pakistan team since September, has informed PCB chief Ramiz Raja of his inability to take up the role full-time.

Saqlain told the chairman that while he was happy to have contributed as interim head coach he wouldn’t be able to accept a long term and permanent assignment as head coach as he had prior business and personal commitments.

Saqlain conveyed that already his business has been affected due to his absence with the Pakistan team as interim head coach, the source said.

Saqlain was appointed in the interim role with the national team while working as a coach at the High Performance Centre in Lahore after Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis suddenly announced their resignations as head coach and bowling coach soon after returning from the West Indies tour.

The source said that Saqlain had told Ramiz that he would continue to work as coach at the High Performance Centre as he wanted to remain based in Lahore but would be available for short tour or series assignments.

Both Babar and Saqlain had recommended having foreign coaches with the national team in the same meeting with Ramiz.

The PCB has already given advertisements for five coaching positions including a power hitting batting coach and head coach for the High Performance Centre.

https://www.news18.com/cricketnext/...ead-coach-job-on-full-time-basis-4619234.html
 
Former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq has conveyed to the PCB that he would be unable to take up the head coach job with the national team on a full time basis due to his personal commitments.

According to a well-informed source in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Saqlain, who has worked as interim head coach with the Pakistan team since September, has informed PCB chief Ramiz Raja of his inability to take up the role full-time.

Saqlain told the chairman that while he was happy to have contributed as interim head coach he wouldn’t be able to accept a long term and permanent assignment as head coach as he had prior business and personal commitments.

Saqlain conveyed that already his business has been affected due to his absence with the Pakistan team as interim head coach, the source said.

Saqlain was appointed in the interim role with the national team while working as a coach at the High Performance Centre in Lahore after Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis suddenly announced their resignations as head coach and bowling coach soon after returning from the West Indies tour.

The source said that Saqlain had told Ramiz that he would continue to work as coach at the High Performance Centre as he wanted to remain based in Lahore but would be available for short tour or series assignments.

Both Babar and Saqlain had recommended having foreign coaches with the national team in the same meeting with Ramiz.

The PCB has already given advertisements for five coaching positions including a power hitting batting coach and head coach for the High Performance Centre.

https://www.news18.com/cricketnext/...ead-coach-job-on-full-time-basis-4619234.html

That;s good, for Saqlain and for Pakistan cricket team. We need a qualified coach for national team , not just a "nice guy".
 
Former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq has decided not to work with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) anymore.

According to details, he has stepped down from the role of Head of International Player Development at the National High-Performance Center (NHPC).

The 45-year-old has also submitted his resignation to the PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja. Saqlain resigned due to personal commitments.

Remember, Saqlain also served as interim head coach of the Pakistan men's team. He led the staff in the 2021 T20 World Cup, Pakistan tour of Bangladesh and West Indies T20I tour of Pakistan.

He was appointed the Head of International Player Development in May 2020 as part of the prestigious High-Performance Centre’s

https://cricketpakistan.com.pk/en/n...s-as-head-of-international-player-development
restructuring.
 
Disappointed to see him go. Players seemed to be clicking under him, and his management style was being well liked as well. Went on a high.
 
I'm sure other Boards will offer him the package he wants.

Thought he did a decent job recently.
 
sad to see him go but appointments like these work in the short term but long term we still need someone with abit more experience and nous, both credentials that seem to be missing from perspective home grown candidates. Would have been good for Saqi to work with a more experienced foreign international coach to get the best of both worlds.

Still maybe a model Pak can still follow, someone like Gul is starting out in the franchise circuit has had a few gigs already lets see if PSL / domestic can unearth any more astute technicians.
 
I'm sure other Boards will offer him the package he wants.

Thought he did a decent job recently.

So it's confirmed that Ramiz had slashed his salary and Saqlain was not happy about it. He did the same thing with Wasim Khan and refused to give him a guarantee of an extension. Classic tactics of pushing someone to resign rather than directly terminate
 
I was lucky enough to meet Saqlain here once in Glasgow when he was on jammat, and he def knows how to connect with people, regardless of their age, from the youngsters in the mosque to the elders so i have no doubt he knows hoe to interact with all the palyers as is evident from the feedback re him and also the results so in my opinion he should be kept on...........people saying that it should be someone from a SENA country and has no bias but saqlain is not like the other players he doesnt harbour grudges against others like some might do, if they can appoint ramiz in a high profile position then def can appoint saqlain in this job role.
 
More than likely.

Thats a shame because Saqi appears to be worth every penny. Our board has no problems slashing out US dollars for foreign coaches, but always has problems paying a fair market value to locals.
 
I think PCB shouldn't have let him go.

If not with Pakistan team, should have been asked to work in the academy with youngsters.
 
Reports that Saqlain Mushtaq going to be appointed permanent coach of Pakistan cricket team.
 
Reports that Saqlain Mushtaq going to be appointed permanent coach of Pakistan cricket team.

Could well be true.

==

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday rejected reports of Saqlain Mushtaq’s resignation as the Head of the International Player Development at the National High-Performance Centre (NHPC).

Earlier, media reports had suggested that Saqlain was unhappy with the cricket board and submitted his resignation to the PCB Chairman, Ramiz Raja.

However, a PCB spokesperson questioned the authenticity of these reports, saying that “Saqlain is very much part of the NHPC.”

“There is no truth in these rumours,” PCB spokesperson told Business Recorder, adding that the development of this level is always announced through official channels.

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40149725/pcb-rejects-reports-of-saqlain-mushtaqs-resignation
 
Seems like a he had the team playing like a unit.


Let’s see if they decide to give him the full job.
 
According to my understanding, the PCB can appoint someone on a temporary basis themselves but in order to appoint someone permanently, there has to be a process i.e. the job must be advertised, the applicants have to apply, they have to be vetted, interviewed and then an offer is made.
 
Ramiz is all talk!!!!!! So he could not find any decent foreign coach for the national team in 2 months. Even Wasim Khan could have done better job than Ramiz if IK didn't force him to select Misbah.
 
Back
Top