KARACHI: Legendary Pakistan spinner and former head coach of the men’s national team Saqlain Mushtaq has been roped in by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) as the assistant coach’s role for their upcoming white-ball tour of Pakistan.

Saqlain’s first assignment with the Blackcaps will be the five-match each ODI and T20I series against Pakistan, scheduled from April 14 to May 7.

He served as the national men’s team’s head coach for about a 16-month period before his contract ended in February this year.

Notably, the legendary spinner did not get the contract extension as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) eyeing to appoint a new coaching staff led by former head coach Mickey Arthur.

Consequently, the chairman of the PCB Management Committee Najam Sethi has been in talks with the South Africa-based coach and the deal between the two parties has nearly been finalised.

It is worth mentioning that Arthur coached the national men’s side between 2016 and 2019. During his tenure, Pakistan won their last major ICC event – Champions Trophy 2017 – and also rose to the top spot in the T20I rankings.

The South African coach was then removed from the position following Pakistan’s fifth-place finish in the Cricket World Cup 2019.

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