KARACHI: Former New Zealand cricketer Mark Coles reached the country in the wee hours on Saturday to take charge as the head coach of the Pakistan women’s cricket team.

Coles, who previously served as the national women’s team’s head coach from 2017 to 2019, reached here for the second stint as the head coach after he was appointed by Najam Sethi-led Management Committee.

Upon his arrival here, Coles expressed his delight over rejoining the women’s team and is upbeat for the upcoming Pakistan Cup Women’s Cricket Tournament here.

“I am honoured to be back here,” Coles stated.

“I am really looking forward to joining the ongoing Pakistan Cup and seeing some exciting talent,” he added.

During his previous tenure, Pakistan accomplished significant accomplishments, including a fifth-place finish in the ICC Women’s Championship 2017-2020, which propelled the national side to qualify for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022.

Mark Coles’ first assignment as Pakistan women’s team’s head coach will be in August when the green shirts will host South Africa for a three-match each ODI and T20I series.

Overall, in an 11-month period from August 2023 to July 2024, Pakistan women’s team is scheduled to play five bilateral cricket series comprising a total of 15 ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 ODIs.

In addition to these 50-over matches, Pakistan will play as many as 17 T20Is. These ODIs and T20Is will lead to the 10-team ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh and eight-team ICC Women’s World Cup in India, which will be held in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Pakistan team’s Coaching panel

Mark Coles (head coach), Mohtashim Rasheed (fielding coach), Taufeeq Umar (batting coach) and Saleem Jaffar (bowling coach).

Selection committee

Saleem Jaffar (chairman), Asmavia Iqbal, Marina Iqbal and Mohtashim Rasheed (members).

READ: Babar Azam stopped by Excise department in Lahore