Pakistan Cricket Board receives applications from 130 coaches

Pakistan Cricket Board receives applications from 130 coaches for coaching roles with the six domestic Cricket Association sides for the upcoming season, likely to start next week.

The PCB added that the Academies budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year was Rs 167 million which was almost the same as the 2019-20 budget barring a few tweaks to the programmes, objectives and targets to align these with the five-year strategic plan.

Pakistan Cricket Board receives applications from 130 coaches

The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) survey revealed that the 130 coaches had expressed interest in working with the PCB following an advertisement that went out in June.

“In accordance with PCB’s philosophy of providing equal and fair opportunity, the PCB advertised the roles in which it also invited coaches from outside the PCB system to express their interest.

“The PCB received 130 applications from across the country of which 24 candidates were shortlisted and interviewed as per the eligibility criteria. From this, 15 coaches were employed,” said a spokesman here when contacted by the APP.

The 15 coaches, employed by the PCB are: Abdul Razzaq, Aizaz Cheema, Basit Ali, Faisal Iqbal, Ghulam Ali, Humayun Farhat, Irfan Fazil, Zafar Iqbal (all former internationals), Aftab Khan, Aslam Qureshi, Fahad Masood, Habib Baloch, Hafiz Majid Jahangir, Hanif Malik, and Mohammad Sadiq (all former first-class cricketers).

These are separate to the high-profile appointments of Mohammad Yousuf, Mohammad Zahid and Atiq-uz-Zaman in the National High Performance Centre.

PCB’s detailed and comprehensive assessment

PCB had carried out a detailed and comprehensive assessment of its 62 coaches.

“All 62 existing PCB coaches were afforded a comprehensive four-phase review process. Phase one provided all coaches a 35-question online survey, which challenged coaches to identify how they rated themselves in areas of Relationships, Communication, Planning, Compliance, Success, Personal Development and Skill Knowledge – all skill areas that PCB values highly in our coaches.

“Phase two involved a variety of colleagues providing each coach 360 degree survey feedback on the same 35 questions.

Phase three involved each coach receiving a summary in the form of a ‘Self Profile’ plus ‘360 Feedback’ profile, including strengths, work ons and a development plan for each coach.

“Phase four involved all 62 coaches afforded a 40-minute video interview with Grant Bradburn, Saqlain Mushtaq and Shahid Aslam,” the PCB explained the process on its corporate website at www.pcb.com.pk.

Coach education programme

The PCB said it will continue the coach education programme to provide future coaching opportunities for the Pakistan nationals without compromising on the quality of coaching needed to achieve the ambitions.

“The average age of the new 2020-21 domestic coaches is 43 as compared to just under 55 of the outgoing coaches. This is in sync with the PCB’s objective of attracting, involving and utilising recently retired cricketers and grooming them into senior leadership roles.

“Work has only just begun on developing local coaches and the PCB is committed to investing time and resource, before they can take over senior leadership roles, both domestically and internationally.

“In this regard and to take coach development forward in line with international standards and expectations, modern practices will be adopted, focusing on quality and ongoing reviews, assessments and development of coaches.

Head of High Performance Coaching

The PCB has appointed highly respected and credible Grant Bradburn as the Head of High Performance Coaching. He will be supported by the Manager Coach Education, who has been part of the PCB system for the past few years.

“In its endeavours, the PCB will also utilise the investment made on the released coaches by assigning them responsibilities in due course as per their strengths, experiences, abilities and capabilities.

“The PCB assures all its fans, followers and supporters that it has and will continue to work without any fear or favour with only the best interests of Pakistan cricket at heart.

It will continue to follow meritocracy and create pathways for player support personnel so that we ultimately become a self-reliant country,” said the spokesman.

The PCB, as per its Standard Operating Procedures, have stopped the newly-appointed coaches from running their private channels and have advised them to follow the standard policy on external communication.

GTV