Matthew Hayden and Vernon Philander: The former Australian batsman and South African pacer have signed new coaching roles.
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Former Australia batsman Matthew Hayden and former South Africa fast bowler Vernon Philander have been appointed as Pakistan’s new batting and bowling coaching consultants for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
With former Pakistan captains Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis resigning from their respective posts of head coach and bowling coach a week ago, PCB were in immediate need of refurbishing their support staff especially before a world event.
For the time time being, PCB had appointed former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq as interim coaches for the imminent ODI series against New Zealand.
The development came merely hours after former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja has been appointed as the Chairman of PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board). Addressing the reporters after taking charge, Raja didn’t talk about the exact roles which Hayden and Philander are expected to play with the senior men’s team but did hint at them working under a separate head coach (yet to be named).
Matthew Hayden and Vernon Philander to coach Pakistan in ICC T20 World Cup 2021
Hayden, who has an experience of 273 international matches across formats, has 15,066 runs under his belt including 40 centuries and 69 half-centuries. Philander, on the other hand, had picked 269 wickets in 101 matches across formats which comprised of 13 five-wicket hauls. No slouch with the bat in hand, Philander had scored 1,944 international runs with the help of eight half-centuries back in the day.
Having last played for Australia and South Africa in 2009 and 2020 respectively, this will be the first time when both Hayden and Philander will be coaching an international team.
“Matthew Hayden is Australian, and has experience of winning World Cups and was a great player himself. It might be very beneficial to have an Australian occupying the dressing room.
“And Pakistan, of course, can win the World Cup, they just need to improve their performances an extra 10%. Vernon Philander I know very well, and he understands bowling, and has a great record against Australia,” Raja said.
