Morne Morkel has resigned as coach of the Pakistan fast bowling team a month before his contract expires.
In a short statement on Monday, the PCB announced that Morkel had resigned following Pakistan’s official exit from the ODI World Cup, and that a replacement would be announced “in due course”. No reason was given for the development.
Morkel was appointed in June this year as part of a reshuffle in the coaching staff, which saw the return of Mickey Arthur as team manager. Morkel’s first stint with the team was in Sri Lanka in July for a two-match Test series, which Pakistan won 2-0. This was followed by a clean sweep of Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series, played in Sri Lanka, before a disappointing Asia Cup campaign in which Pakistan failed to qualify for the final, with injuries to Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah affecting the fast bowling department. . Naseem was later ruled out of the World Cup as well due to a shoulder injury.
In the World Cup, Pakistan started with two victories but quickly lost steam, losing four matches in a row for the first time in their World Cup history, ending with a stumbling defeat to England that officially confirmed their exit. They finished fifth for the second consecutive World Cup, winning four matches and losing five.
The best period in terms of Morkel’s role came during the series against Afghanistan and the first part of the Asia Cup, where he was in charge of three of the best and most accomplished fast bowlers in the world. Shaheen Afridi, Naseem and Haris were all in top form, combining to form a formidable three-man attack, memorably displaying their potential in an ultimately unsuccessful match against India in which they took all 10 wickets after storming to the Indian top. to request.
Morkel, now an Australian citizen, was supposed to continue on for Pakistan’s next assignment – a three-Test tour of Australia in December and January – but that has now changed.
