Pakistan Coach Steps Down 'To Pursue Further Coaching Opportunities'

Former New Zealand Test spinner, Grant Bradburn has decided to step down as head of Pakistan cricket's high-performance coaching to "pursue further coaching opportunities", the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Friday.

The New Zealand cricket team had recently cancelled a limited-overs tour of Pakistan to fly out hours before the start of the One-day Series in Rawalpindi citing "security issues".

After former cricketer Ramiz Raja took over as the PCB chief, the Pakistan team head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis had stepped down from their respective roles in early September, one month before the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman.

During his three years in Pakistan, Bradburn served as the national side's fielding coach from September 2018 to June 2020, before taking on the development of coaching responsibilities. "He remained a popular figure within the cricket fraternity and is regarded highly by players, coaches and colleagues," PCB said in a statement.

"It has been an honour and privilege to serve Pakistan, providing challenge and support, to drive the players, coaches and teams forward. I will leave PCB grateful for the wonderful opportunities and the experiences I have gained," said Bradburn.

"As a foreigner, I felt welcomed and valued by my present and former PCB colleagues, players, officials and the Pakistan public. I have always felt safe here, loved exploring this wonderful country and made many lifetime friends," he added,

"My wife Maree and three children have also sacrificed a lot in allowing me to serve Pakistan cricket. Covid-19 regulations made it challenging for them to visit Pakistan and feel the warmth, love and friendship this country offers. It is now time for me to prioritise family and move forward to the next coaching challenge."

PCB's director high performance, Nadeem Khan said, "Grant served Pakistan cricket with passion and dedication. He was always full of energy and ideas, a number of which he implemented following the restructuring of the National High Performance Centre. I thank Grant for his contributions to Pakistan cricket and wish him well in his future endeavours."