LAHORE, Dec 11: Pakistan have retained leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed as a bowling consultant for the one-day series against England. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shaharyar Khan said on Sunday that Mushtaq was also on a shortlist of candidates to be appointed assistant coach of the senior team on a long-term basis.

Mushtaq, 35, was recalled for the Test series against England after last playing against South Africa in Oct 2003.

However, the leg-spinner, who has taken 185 Test and 161 one-day wickets, did not play in any of the three Tests with young Danish Kaneria being preferred to him.

Kaneria produced two memorable spells of bowling to engineer wins for Pakistan on the final days of the first and third Tests in Multan and Lahore.

“Mushtaq has a good knowledge and understanding of the game and he knows the England players well. We have retained him as bowling consultant for the one-day series to take advantage his expertise,” Shaharyar said.

Mushtaq was due to be released from the team after the Test series but was asked to stay back by the board.

“He works well with coach Bob Woolmer and captain Inzamamul Haq and the players. He is one the candidates we are looking at to appoint as assistant coach on long-term basis maybe until the next World Cup in 2007,” the PCB chief added.

The PCB chief said the appointment of the assistant coach should be made before the home series against India early next year.

Mushtaq, who has played for English county Sussex for the last two years, has expressed his keenness to work as assistant coach with the senior team.—Reuters