Matthew Hayden, Vernon Philander join Pakistan's coaching setup for T20 World Cup

Australia’s Matthew Hayden and South African Vernon Philander have been roped in as Pakistan’s batting and bowling coach respectively for the T20 World Cup. The former players were hired after Pakistan’s head coach Misbah ul Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis stepped down from their roles.

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The announcement was made soon after Ramiz Raza was appointed as the 36th chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Pakistan will be looking for some valuable inputs from the veterans who have plenty of experience of playing in the subcontinent conditions.

Speaking on Hayden, Raja said: “The Australian can bring some aggression into the team. He has experience of World Cups and was a world-class player himself. Having an Australian in the dressing room will be of great benefit for us.” On Philander he said, “I know him well, he understands the nuances of bowling and he has a great record.”

Former Australian batsman Matthew Hayden and former South African bowler Vernon Philander have been signed by PCB as coaches for the upcoming T20 World Cup #T20WC2021 #Cricket

— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) September 13, 2021

Hayden, who has also been part of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) coaching staff, is considered one of the best to have graced the game. The southpaw played 103 Tests, 161 ODIs, and 9 T20Is for Australia, scoring 8625, 6133 and 308 runs respectively. He was also part of the 2003 and 2007 World Cup winning teams.

Meanwhile, Philander, who bid adieu to the game in 2020, also is a prominent name in international cricket. The pacer accounted for over 250 wickets in his international career. The PCB will hope that the new appointments help the players work on their flaws and take Pakistan to their second T20 World Cup title.

Both Waqar Younis and Misbah ul Haq stepped down from their roles soon after it was revealed that Ramiz Raja will take over as the new PCB chairman. Raja often had criticized the duo for their poor coaching styles.

Ahead of the showpiece event in UAE, Pakistan will host New Zealand in three ODIs and five T20Is. The Men in Green will be keen on picking up some momentum before the World Cup. The series kicks off with the ODI leg on 17th September, with the matches to follow on September 19 and 21 in Rawalpindi. The T20Is will be played in Lahore on September 25, 26, 29, October 1 and 3.