Pakistan Cricket Board is keen to rope in Sir Viv Richards as the mentor of the team for the T20 World Cup 2024. As per the reports in the PTI, it is learned that Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is adamant about getting a key figure on board for the tournament.
The T20 World Cup 2024 will begin on 1st June and will end on 30th June. The tournament will be played in the United States of America and the Caribbean and entering into the tournament, Babar Azam-led side Pakistan Cricket Team will be one of the favorites for the title.
Viv Richards, who has served as mentor for Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League since 2016, is seen as a potential candidate because the Pakistan Cricket Board feels that with the Super 8 stage set to take place in the Caribbean, the batting legend’s experience of those conditions could be vital for the team.
A source close to Pakistan Cricket stated that although Viv Richards has some media commitments, the governing body is working out things with him and Pakistan players are also keen to work with batting great. Speaking about the same, he elaborated:
“Sir Viv Richards has some prior media commitments for the World Cup but things are being worked out as the Pakistani players have great respect and regard for him.”
If the deal goes well then the presence of Viv Richards will be a massive boost for the team in the T20 World Cup 2024. Pakistan’s team has been consistent in the last two World Cups. They reached the semi-final in 2021 and then played the final in 2022. At that time team had roped in Matthew Hayden as mentor of the team.
Pakistan will be captained by Babar Azam in the T20 World Cup 2024. The batter was reappointed as the skipper of the team after being removed as the leader of the side after the ICC World Cup 2023. He would be keen to make an impact and take his team to the title win. Earlier, they appointed Gary Kirsten as the head coach ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024
Pakistan Cricket Board set to appoint Tony Hemmings as pitch curator in Pakistan
The reports also claimed that the Pakistan Cricket Board is keen to appoint Tony Hemmings as pitch curator. The reports claimed that Hammings has applied for the role and the governing body is keen to welcome him. A source confirmed about the said:
“He applied for the Chief Curator position with the PCB and is ready to come to Pakistan. The PCB Chairman has given priority to improving the behaviour of pitches in the country before the start of the next domestic season so Hemmings has been short-listed.”
Tony Hemmings has served as an International Cricket Soil Advisor and Consultant for the Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) in Perth and also as the Head Curator at the ICC Cricket Academy and the Dubai International Stadium.