SHARJAH — The Pakistan Cricket Board Tuesday set Feb. 6 as the deadline for applicants for the positions of national team head coach, batting coach and fielding coach.



Australia’s Dav Whatmore and Julian Fountain of England quit as head coach and fielding coach respectively after Pakistan won the third Test by five wickets in a thrilling run-chase to share the Test series against Sri Lanka 1-1.

The Pakistan team doesn’t have a batting coach and the new post has been created by the cricket board.



The PCB said in an advertisement that all the interested candidates should have “at least five years of working experience in their respective cricketing role.”



PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf came under criticism for appointing a foreign coach when he brought in Whatmore for a two-year period in 2012.



Ashraf was suspended by a court in Islamabad last year after his re-election as PCB chairman for a period of four years was challenged, but he was restored by a divisional bench last week.



Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal had backed homegrown coaches and last October told a local television sports channel that players’ opinion should be sought before appointing coaches.



The PCB also said in the advertisement that the coaches should have the “ability to effectively work with a wide range of individuals from varied backgrounds.”



While Pakistan won the Asia Cup and a one-day series against South Africa, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe during Whatmore’s tenure, it could not win any of the five Test series, losing two — against Sri Lanka and South Africa.



It drew the Test series against lowly ranked Zimbabwe as well as drawing both its series in the United Arab Emirates against South Africa and Sri Lanka.



Former Pakistan Test opener Mohsin Khan was coach when Pakistan whitewashed the then No. 1 ranked England 3-0 in a Test series in UAE before Whatmore took over.



Whatmore said he ended his tenure on a happy note and admitted he may still return in another capacity.



“(I am) absolutely delighted, it’s a satisfying win ... and a perfect gift the boys have given me on my departure,” said Whatmore. “I am leaving on a very happy note,” he added.





Misbah wants Pakistan

to challenge Australia



Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq Tuesday urged his team to challenge the Ashes-winning Australia when the two face off in a Test series in the UAE in October.



Pakistan achieved its fastest run chase of 302 to beat Sri Lanka in the third and final Test in Sharjah Monday, leveling the series 1-1.



Misbah said he hoped his team would further lift its game to challenge Australia.



“Australia is a very professional team and against them you need to be focused. You have to play with a lot of hard work because they come out with lots of plans, so I think it will be a big challenge for us to play against Australia,” said Misbah.



Leading Pakistan since the 2010 spot-fixing controversy which led to bans for then captain Salman Butt and pacemen Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, Misbah has now won 12 Tests out of 27, losing seven and drawing eight.



Misbah said he hoped Australia would be up to the challenge when they faced Pakistan.



“It would also be a challenge for them to face our spinners in these conditions,” said Misbah of Saeed Ajmal and Abdul Rehman, who spun then world No. 1 Test team 3-0 in UAE in 2012. — Agencies