Saqlain Mushtaq applies for Pakistan U-19 team head coach's job

Saqlain Mushtaq with Moeen Ali during an England practise session

Pakistan cricket team's former spin king Saqlain Mushtaq has thrown his hat in the ring for the head coach's job of the national U-19 team. The ex-cricketer will be interviewed on Monday.

Saqlain Mushtaq, 42, who took a total of 496 wickets in 49 Tests and 169 ODIs, has responded to an advertisement by the Pakistan Cricket Board that has sought applications for the post of head coach of the national junior team, which is preparing for next year's U-19 World Cup.

"I have applied and my interview is next week. I just feel that I can contribute a lot to Pakistan cricket," Saqlain said.

The off-spinner, who is an ECB Level-3 coach, has already worked with the New Zealand, Australian, West Indies and Bangladesh national senior teams as their spin consultant or coach.

Saqlain Mushtaq is a very experience coach and is currently associated with the England cricket team. He was attributed as one of the reasons England won the World Cup 2019 and is also part of the team in the ongoing Ashes series 2019.

"I have acquired a lot of coaching experience working around the world but I have worked a lot with young players at Somerset and Middlesex counties and with different academies all over the world," he said.

The PCB is also expected to invite applications for its senior team coaching positions after the Eid holidays. The Board did not renew the contracts of head coach Mickey Arthur and support staff after Pakistan failed to make the knockout stage of the ODI World Cup.

Mickey Arthur said he was "disappointed and hurt" after he was axed as Pakistan coach following an underwhelming World Cup. Arthur, who has been linked with a move to England, said he had done his best with Pakistan who narrowly failed to reach the World Cup semi-finals. "I am extremely disappointed and hurt," the South African told AFP shortly after the Pakistan Cricket Board announced his departure. "I did my wholehearted effort to lift Pakistan cricket," he added.

Saqlain, whose spin twin Mushtaq Ahmed, is also currently working as a spin coach in the West Indies, has always expressed his interest to work in the Pakistan cricket set-up.

The PCB has said time and again that it wants a high profile player/coach to work with its junior team on the lines of the Indian board's decision to appoint former batting great Rahu Dravid as the coach of their national under-19 and A teams.

With inputs from PTI/AFP

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