Grant Bradburn, the seasoned New Zealand cricketer and experienced coach, has been named the new head coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team. This follows a rigorous selection procedure, as stated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday.
The PCB’s announcement confirmed Bradburn’s position at the helm of the team’s coaching structure for the next two years. Bradburn had previously stepped into the head coach role on a consultancy basis during Pakistan’s recent home series against New Zealand.
Under Bradburn’s interim leadership, the Pakistan team, guided by Babar Azam, scored a resounding 4-1 victory over New Zealand in the five-match One-Day International (ODI) series. This triumph propelled Pakistan to the summit of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Rankings in ODI cricket. The T20 International series ended in a 2-2 draw.
Bradburn is no stranger to the intricacies of Pakistan cricket, having contributed as the national team’s fielding coach from 2018 to 2020.
PCB Management Committee Chairperson, Najam Sethi, voiced his approval of the appointment, stating, “Following the announcement of Mickey Arthur as team director, Bradburn’s appointment further strengthens our commitment to assembling a top-tier coaching panel. We aim to allow our players to leverage their expertise and excel in all three formats of world cricket.”
Commenting on his new role, Bradburn expressed his enthusiasm: “I’m greatly honored to lead Pakistan, a team bursting with talent and skill, as head coach. We are keenly focused on elevating our performance and can’t wait to demonstrate our improved skills on the pitch.”
In other staffing news, former South African player Andrew Puttick has committed to a two-year tenure as the batting coach for the men’s team. In addition, Drikus Saaiman will continue as the strength and conditioning coach, and Cliffe Deacon as the team’s physiotherapist. Further appointments will be made in the coming days.
