Pakistan's hunt for foreign coach hits another hurdle with Shane Watson, Daren Sammy rejecting offers

The Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) search for a foreign head coach for the senior men's team hit another snag with former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson and ex-West Indies captain Daren Sammy dropping out of the race to the post.

Sammy, who has previously captained as well as coached Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), has made it clear that he is already contracted with the West Indies as the head coach of their white-ball teams.

Watson, meanwhile returned home on Saturday night after rejecting the offer from the PCB. The former all-rounder, who had represented Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators in the PSL, had originally asked for an annual sum of US$2 million (46 million PKR), which would've been the biggest paycheck ever issued by the PCB to a foreign head coach.

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A well-informed source aware of the developments said that senior PCB officials had held detailed talks with Watson in Karachi during the PSL matches offering him the head coach position.

"Watson had initially shown interest and kept certain financial and other conditions to accept the offer," the source said.

"But after the board more or less accepted Watson's financial demands the Australian was not happy that details of the proposed package were leaked out in the Pakistan media and social media."

The Australian then politely turned down the offer insisting he had prior commitments as a commentator in the IPL and also in Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States besides wanting to give more time to his young family in Sydney.

The PCB reportedly had agreed to a USD 2 million dollar annual fee for Watson.

PCB are now expected to go for an interim arrangement for the national team to supervise the training camp in Kakul from 25 March to 8 April ahead of the home five-match T20I series against New Zealand from 14 April in Lahore and Rawalpindi.

"A team of local coaches as an interim arrangement for the camp and NZ series is the only available option for the PCB now and Chairman Mohsin Naqvi will be required to make a call after the PSL final on 18th March," the source said.

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Naqvi has made it clear that he is keen on appointing foreign coaches for the national team on a long term basis, covering the World T20 Cup in West Indies and USA and Champions Trophy early next year in Pakistan.

The source said that former Pakistan captains, Younis Khan, Muhammad Yousuf, Inzamam ul Haq, Moin Khan were also under consideration for the time being.

With PTI inputs