Moin Khan expresses reservation over Misbah-ul-Haq playing role for a PSL franchise

Former Pakistan captain-wicket-keeper and currently the head coach of Pakistan Super League (PSL) team Quetta Gladiators Moin Khan is against the idea of allowing national head coach-cum-chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq to involve with any of the franchises of the tournament. According to him, such a situation would be a clear case of conflict of interest and both Misbah and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should avoid it.

A few months ago, when the Pakistan selectors got rid of long-serving captain Sarfaraz Ahmed — even as a player — Moin had spoken up against it. He had warned then that giving Misbah two important posts at the same time was not the right way to go ahead. Pakistan overhauled their coaching staff and players’ set-up after a disappointing World Cup but could still win only one series so far — the ODI series at home led by Sarfaraz.

‘A conflict of interest’: Moin Khan

Coming back to Moin’s latest concern over Misbah getting involved with a PSL franchise, the 48-year-old who played 69 Tests and 219 ODIs for his country, told the media in Karachi: “Everyone can understand that would be a conflict of interest, simply. One should voluntarily step down when such conflict is there and avoid any such move because he holds a responsible post with the Pakistan cricket team.”

“The PCB must make sure that the way they have stopped other coaches from taking PSL roles, they should act here as well to avoid conflict of interest. The policy is applied uniformly on everyone,” he added.

Moin believes that having the national head coach-cum-chief selector in the dug-out of a particular PSL side would not send a good message to other teams and their players in the tournament which will take place in February-March 2020. The players’ draft for the tournament will take place in Lahore on Friday.

With no official announcement being made about Misbah’s election for a role in the upcoming edition of the PSL, it is believed that he has already to play the head coach’s role for Islamabad United, the team he had led to win the crown in the inaugural edition in 2016. The PCB had said earlier that Misbah, who played international cricket as recently as in 2017, would be allowed to play a role so that he can enrich his coaching skills.

Moin also expressed disappointment over Pakistan’s humiliating losses to Australia in the recent T20I and Test series.