Intikhab Alam said Pakistan had good spin bowlers and it needed a coach who could guide fast bowlers.-Photo by AP

LAHORE: The bowling coach for the Pakistan team will be picked before national team’s tour to Sri Lanka, which is scheduled to take place in June.

Head of the coach-searching committee, former Pakistan captain Intikhab Alam told this to reporters after chairing its first meeting at the NCA with Zaheer Abbas and Col. Naushad.

“It was the first meeting of the committee in which 11 candidates, including some foreigners, submitted their profiles, but the committee will take a decision on merit after examining potential of each and every candidate,” Intikhab said.

“In the first phase, the committee will shortlist the coaches and then pick up the best one, hopefully before the team’s departure to Sri Lanka,” he added.

He said six applications were filed by local candidates while the rest were foreigners.

To a question, he said he could not disclose the names of foreign candidates at the moment.

Intikhab denied the impression that Pakistan head coach Dav Whatmore was interested in a foreign bowling coach.

He added that Whatmore would have no role in finalising the bowling coach, however, the committee had taken his input and the final decision would be taken by the PCB chairman on the recommendation of the committee.

He said Pakistan had good spin bowlers and it needed a coach who could guide fast bowlers.

Intikhab said British Universities’ team had taken a good decision by touring Pakistan and they were in better frame of mind to inform English people about the security situation in Pakistan.

“Hopefully, the British students will present better picture of the security situation in Pakistan to their people,” he said.