Aqib Javed has been appointed as Pakistan's white-ball coach for the interim period until the Champions Trophy. Although he got the responsibility for a short period of time, he has set his own goals. For now, this former pacer of Pakistan is focusing on ODI format and Champions Trophy.
Aqib Javed's first assignment after taking charge is a three-match ODI and three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. Before that, he told the media about his goals, 'My current goal before the Champions Trophy is ODI cricket. Everyone will see a stable team in this format. There will be changes in the T20 format as well. Against Zimbabwe we want to give opportunities to newcomers.'
He mainly wants to test the strength of the bench in the shortest format. As the reason behind which he said, 'It is actually a message to them that the opportunity has come, seize it. If the newcomers are not given a chance, the strength of the bench will never improve.'
Aqib Javed's arrival in Pakistan cricket is like a comet. He was the fast bowling coach of Sri Lanka this summer. Even then there was no association with Pakistan cricket. Five weeks ago, he was included in the reformed Pakistan selection committee. After Pakistan's historic Test win against England, the top management of the board started looking at him differently. He is seen as the architect to win this series.
After being appointed as a coach, the PCB has also confirmed that he can also sit on the selection committee while being a coach. The right that Pakistan's permanent Test coach Jason Gillespie does not have! And because of this right, Gary Kersten has left the position of ODI coach.
After 22 years on the tour of Australia, he said about the ODI series, 'The tour of Australia was not easy. When the team left, if we had said that we would win the series, people would not have believed it. Under the new captain Rizwan we proved it after 22 years. There was a chance in T20 too. But it is not possible to win without missing an opportunity.'
Pakistan's tour of Zimbabwe will begin on November 24. After that, the T20 series started on December 1.
