With the T20 World Cup in 2021 just over a month away, Pakistan cricket was dealt a severe blow on Monday when head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis announced their immediate resignations.
Misbah, who was forced to quarantine in Jamaica after testing positive for Covid-19 at the end of the team’s Caribbean tour last month, cited bio-secure bubbles as the reason for his decision to leave.
“The quarantine in Jamaica following the West Indies series provided me with an opportunity to think on the past 24 months as well as the timetable for international cricket ahead,” he stated in a news release released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). I have opted to resign from the position since I would have had to continue to spend significant time away from my family, and that too in a bio-secure setting.
“I realize the timing isn’t ideal, but I don’t believe I’m in the appropriate frame of mind for the future difficulties, and it makes sense for someone else to step in and lead the charge.
“I want to express my gratitude to my colleagues and management for their support over the last 24 months. I wish the Pakistan cricket team the best of luck in the next tournaments, and I will continue to support them whenever they represent Pakistan on the field.”
After Misbah disclosed her plans, I made an easy decision: Younis
“After Misbah communicated his choice and future plans with me, it was a straightforward one for me to resign,” Younis is cited as saying in the PCB press statement. “We had walked into the jobs together, worked as a pair, and now also step down together.”
“Working with the Pakistani bowlers, especially the youth, has been extremely rewarding since they have begun to show signs of improvement. In the last 16 months, bio-secure environments have had an impact on us, something we had never experienced throughout our playing days.
“The Pakistan team will have a busy and exciting eight months ahead of them, and I will continue to support and cheer them on as I have in the past. I’d want to express my gratitude to every member of the Pakistan cricket team, as we have remained united through good and terrible times, and I hope that there will be more better days ahead.”
After being appointed in September 2019, the pair still had a year left on their terms.
