Pakistan looking for a foreign coach

Nearly 14 months after firing Australian coach Geoff Lawson, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is again looking for a foreign coach.

PCB chairman Ejaz Butt on Monday confirmed on a television show that he is in talks with some foreign coaches.

The recent Test and ODI series whitewash against Australia seemed to have played a part in the PCB's thinking for a foreign hand. Former India coach Greg Chappell and former Pakistan coach Richard Pybus are among the names doing the rounds in Pakistan.

"We are looking at the possibility of hiring a foreign coach and we are in talks with some people," Butt said.

"I don't think it is right that every time we lost a series, the captain, coach or board management should be changed. But we also want to see good results from the team and that is why we are looking at the possibility of having a foreign coach once again," he added.

With Intikhab Alam, coach of the disastrous Australia tour, under scrutiny of an inquiry committee, the PCB on Monday named former Test batsman Ijaz Ahmed as batting and fielding coach for the two Twenty20 matches against England in Dubai on February 19 and 20.

Wasim Bari, the chief operating officer of the board, said the appointment of Ijaz as coach and Yawar Saeed as manager is an interim arrangement.

"We will decide on the future of Intikhab after the inquiry committee formed to look into the team's poor performances in Australia completes its findings," Bari said.

Sources said besides former Australian captain Chappell and South African Pybus, who has had two terms with Pakistan team, another Australian Julian Fountain is in consideration by the PCB.

"The board might also just hire a batting or fielding consultant with the team," one source said.

Pakistan has in the past had foreign coaches with Pybus doing two terms with the team and Bob Woolmer at the helm from 2004 to 2007 before he died in controversial circumstances during the World Cup in the West Indies.