PCB looking for foreign coach for Pakistan women’s team after poor results

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finally decided to look for a foreign coach for its national women’s team after holding on to former Test paceman Wahab Riaz despite a string of disappointing results.

A reliable board source said on Friday that the PCB will soon announce the post of head coach of the women’s team, with a foreign candidate likely to be given preference.

“The appointment will be made ahead of the women’s team’s next international assignment, which is the West Indies tour,” a source said.

Wahab has been mentoring the women’s team since last December after head coach Muhammad Wasim was sacked in November following the team’s disappointing campaign at the ICC Women’s Over-50 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

However, the team failed to improve their performances under Wahab and suffered further disappointments in the recent Women’s T20 World Cup and the bilateral series in Sri Lanka.

The source said the decision to appoint a foreign coach was also influenced by Pakistan’s preparations for the 2028 FIFA Women’s World Cup T20, which the country will host. The PCB wants to give the new head coach enough time to build a competitive marquee side.

PCB has frequently changed head coaches for its women’s team, with some of its best performances coming under foreign coaches David Hemp and especially Mark Coles.

Coles first coached the side between 2017 and 2019 before returning for a short spell in 2023.

The women’s team has had at least six different head coaches as of 2020.

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