Azhar Mahmood, the former Pakistan cricketer, has cleared the air about rumors of him refusing to become the head coach of the Pakistan team for the Afghanistan and New Zealand series. And said that he couldn’t take the job due to his obligations to Surrey County Cricket Club.
Mahmood is currently the head coach of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) team Islamabad United and reinstated that the refusal didn’t relay from his side rather he couldn’t have committed to the national side while still being a part of Surrey County.
“For the Afghanistan series, there were rumours that I refused it [headcoach position], but I didn’t refuse it – because they [PCB] asked me for those two series, and they called me and asked me we would like you to have these two series as head coach of Pakistan cricket team, so I said my commitment is with Surrey so let me find out with Surrey first.
He said that he was offered the head coach role by the Pakistani cricket team for the Afghanistan and New Zealand series, but he said that he told the board that he could only for one series against Afghanistan after getting approval from his county club’s management.
I am not sure they will allow me to do the New Zealand job – the New Zealand series – but you know I can do this series. So they [PCB] said okay, you have to do one series, that’s fine. We need someone, and then in the end, they went with someone else, which is absolutely fine, you know, like they found someone to do both the series,” Azhar was quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
There Were No Long-Term Plans; They Were Short-Term Azhar Mahmood On PCB’s Planning For Coach
Meanwhile, Azhar Mahmood said that PCB might not have wide-ranging plans for coaching of any sort, and they all are rather short-term based – changing from series to series.
“There were no long-term plans; they were short-term- series by series thing. For me, because I have got my own commitments, and as you know, I am still with Surrey, and season has already started,” he concluded.
Recently, PCB appointed Grant Bradburn and Andrew Puttick have been appointed head coach and batting coach for the New Zealand series. The PCB will confirm the Pakistan team management for post-New Zealand series following the completion of the relevant recruitment processes, which are presently ongoing.