The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been advised by the sports ministry not to proceed with a long-term contract for Mohammad Hafeez, the current director of cricket. Hafeez assumed the role after the 50-over World Cup last year but faces uncertainty regarding an extended contract.The PCB had submitted a long-term contract for Hafeez to the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination for approval, but the ministry recommended continuing with the short-term arrangement. The short-term contract is set to conclude after the T20 series in New Zealand.
A reliable source disclosed, "The contract was for a long term period, but the board was told to just continue with the short-term arrangement with Hafeez which ends after the T20 series in New Zealand."Concerns have been raised not only about the contract situation but also about the team's performance under Hafeez and the coaching staff, notably losing all Tests in Australia and the ongoing T20I series in New Zealand.
The new coaches came in after the PCB reassigned the foreign coaches Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn and Andrew Puttick to the National Cricket Academy after the World Cup.All three refused to take up the new assignment and went on vacations. They have now resigned after an undisclosed financial deal with the PCB.Recently, the sports ministry also stopped the board’s cricket management committee from holding a T10 league and as well as a meeting to form the new board of governors. Hafeez was named the director of the Pakistan team along with new coaches Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal and foreigners Simon Helmot and Adam Hollioake for the Australian tour.
