Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is keen to bring Vivian Richards on board as a ‘Mentor’ for the national team in the coming World T20 Cup in Americas.
Richards has been mentoring Quetta Gladiators team in Pakistan Super League since 2016. A PCB source said incumbent chairman Mohsin Naqvi was very particular about associating a big name with national cricket team.Moreover, his vast experience of playing in those conditions will be invaluable especially as most of the Super Eights games are scheduled to take place in the Caribbean.
“He has got prior commitments for the World Cup but Pakistani players love and respect him so things are being worked out,” added the source.
The deal, if goes through, would see Richards mentor the side during their World Cup campaign just as former Australian opener Matthew Hayden did at the last two T20 World Cups – 2021 and 2022 editions where Pakistan reached semifinals and final respectively.
Additionally, a source told that PCB Chairman Naqvi had also ordered hiring a foreign chief curator and Australia’s Tony Hemmings is considered to be an ideal candidate for this position.
Hemmings is presently contracted with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), where he started working in July last year under two years agreement period.
“He applied for Chief Curator position with PCB and can come if selected,” he said.
Aside from being an International Cricket Soil Advisor/ Consultant for Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) based at Perth, Tony Hemmings was also Head Curator at ICC Cricket Academy and Dubai International Stadium.
“With domestic season set to resume later this month, Pakistan pitches need major improvement and they have shortlisted Hemmings,” he said.
Viv Richards desired by PCB to be country ‘Mentor’ during T20 world cup
