Shane Watson unsure to coach Pakistan team despite the board's acceptance of fee demand

Shane Watson (Pic: File Pic)

Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson is yet to make up his mind regarding the decision to become the Pakistan cricket team's head coach. The Pakistan Cricket Board is ready to accept the fee demanded by Watson. According to the sources on the board, he has demanded $2 million annually, which is approximately 46 million rupees per month, the highest fee ever paid to a foreign coach.

Former foreign coaches of Pakistan such as Richard Pybus, Bob Woolmer, Geoff Lawson, Dav Whatmore, Grant Bradburn and Mickey Arthur were paid much less than what Watson demanded.

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Watson has a young family in Australia and also he has commitments in the USA Major League. The PCB wants him to spend maximum time in Pakistan and also help the board to discover and groom new talents in domestic cricket.

Shane Watson is taking time to ink the contract due to several changes with the PCB and the coaching staff.

Watson, at present, is coaching the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and has no prior experience coaching an international team although he has dabbled in coaching roles in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi wants a foreign set-up to run the team with full backing from the board.

Naqvi, despite being appointed as minister of interior, has also indicated he has no intention of leaving his post on the board and will do both jobs simultaneously.

However, it will not be the first time an official heading the PCB has also held a position in the government, and the source said the International Cricket Council (ICC) had no objection to Naqvi donning the dual role.

Naqvi has already got six bureaucrats of the Punjab government to work on deputation in the board and also announced that he would be taking no salary as minister of interior.

(With PTI Inputs)