Gary Kirsten in the fray to replace Misbah-ul-Haq as head coach of the Pakistan cricket team

Former South African cricketer Gary Kirsten might replace Misbah-ul-Haq as the Head Coach of the Pakistan cricket team. Apart from Kirsten, the likes of Simon Katich and Peter Moores are also considered for the role as well.

Before the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup, Misbah-ul-Haq had announced that he would like to resign as the Head Coach of the Pakistan cricket team. Along with Misbah, even bowling coach Waqar Younis also tendered his resignation as well.

Saqlain Mushtaq is currently serving as the interim Head Coach of the Pakistan cricket team. It is also reported that the new Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ramiz Raja wants to appoint a foreign coach.

Gary Kirsten has earlier coached the Indian cricket team

Gary Kirsten was also the Head Coach of the Indian cricket team from 2008 to 2011. With Kirsten at the helm, the Indian side won the fifty-over World Cup in the year 2011, after a gap of almost three decades. The Indian side also reached the No.1 ranking in Test match cricket when Kirsten was the Head Coach of the Indian side.

Kirsten has played 101 Tests and 185 ODI matches for the South African side. While he scored 7289 runs in Test match cricket, the current 53-year-old also amassed 6798 runs in the ODI format of the game as well. Kirsten played his last international match for the Proteas in the year 2004.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan cricket team has started its campaign in the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup in sensational fashion. The Babar Azam-led side has won both matches that it has played in the tournament so far and is currently placed at the top of the points table in Group 2.

While Babar Azam and his men thrashed the Indian side in their first match with 10 wickets to spare, the ‘Men in Green’ beat New Zealand in their second rubber by 5 wickets. The Pakistan side will next take on Afghanistan on 29th October 2021 in Dubai.