Daily Times

LAHORE: Former Pakistan Test cricketer Mushtaq Ahmed has joined the West Indies cricket team as their bowling coach. Mushtaq will join the Caribbean giants later this month for a short stint; however the role can be converted into a long-term position as well, the sports agency representing the leg-spin great announced on Tuesday. Mushtaq is already the head coach of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has allowed him to keep that role along with the one he has just landed with the Calypsos.

Mushtaq, who has represented Pakistan in 52 Tests and 144 ODIs, where he collectively claimed 346 wickets, has already coached the Pakistan national team, Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Karachi Kings, Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and also English county Surrey. Mushtaq has also coached the England national team where he worked as a spin consultant for six years. During his time there, England won the World T20, had multiple Ashes triumphs and claimed number one ranking in all three formats.

“It’s a privilege to work with West Indies cricket team – a team with a very rich history of class, commitment and sheer dominance in the cricket world. The talent in that part of the world is exceptional and I am quite excited to work with them,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. “They have produced many greatest cricketers and I have wonderful memories playing against a few in the 90s. They probably are not the same force in the world cricket at this stage but they still have a consistent pipeline of exceptional cricketers coming in the system. It’s a short contract but still a month-long deal is ample enough for me to create a difference.” Mushtaq, 47, had spent 18 months with Pakistan as bowling coach between 2016 and 2017. Azhar Mahmood, who was recently appointed Pakistan’s bowling coach, had first been brought on as a temporary replacement for Mushtaq for the Asia Cup in February 2016. He then worked along with Mushtaq at the World T20.

Mushtaq’s spell with the West Indies will not affect his head coaching job with the NCA, according to a PCB spokesperson. “Mushtaq’s contact was to be renewed. He will come back from the West Indies stint and rejoin as the NCA head coach,” the PCB spokesman added.

Published in Daily Times, May 9^th 2018.