LAHORE: Newly-appoi­nted head coach Grant Bradburn is due to arrive in Pakistan alongside batting coach Andrew Puttick on Monday to take the reins of the national cricket team but the arrival of Consultant Team Director Mickey Arthur has been delayed.

Dawn learnt that Arthur would be in touch with Bradburn, who will step down to become assistant coach whenever the Team Director is with the squad.

The Pakistan Cricket Board is yet to make an official announcement on the appointment of the new coaching panel with their first assignment to be this month’s home series against New Zealand comprising five T20 Internationals and as many One-day Internationals.

The hiring of New Zealander Bradburn comes with the Black Caps, according to reports, having opted to hire the services of former Pakistan coach Saqlain Mushtaq as an assistant coach for their tour of Pakistan.

Keeping in mind the home series, the PCB has handed a one-month contract to Director International Cric­ket Zakir Khan, who was set to retire on April 2.

Dawn has also learnt that the PCB think-tank is considering replacing Babar Azam as the captain of the T20 side and Shadab Khan as his deputy.

Babar was rested for the recently-concluded T20 series against Afghanistan in Sharjah, which Pakistan lost 2-1 with Shadab’s captaincy deemed unsatisfactory.

“The option to bring a new captain is just a proposal which is being considered and new names are under discussion,” sources told Dawn. “The final decision will be taken after taking into consideration all aspects.”

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2023