Shane Watson Refuses to Coach Pakistan Cricket Team, Turns down USD 2 Million Offer

Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has reportedly turned down an offer to coach the Pakistan white-ball cricket team. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had offered a US$2 million a year contract to Watson.

While some news reports suggest Watson had rejected the coaching due to his commentary commitments, it is understood that the Australian was disgruntled after the details of his coaching contract were leaked to the media.

The Australian was in advanced talks with the PCB after enjoying a coaching stint in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), but later withdrew and cited prior commitments - a commentary stint with the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) and a coaching role in Major League Cricket with the San Francisco Unicorns - as the reasons for the pullout.

He also added that he would need to spend time with his young family, based out of Sydney.

Watson is also the coach of Quetta Gladiators in the PSL after winning the title with the same team as a player in 2019.

After assuming charge of the Gladiators, Watson made South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw as the captain of the team, replacing Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was leading the team for the last eight seasons. The team started strong in this year’s PSL and qualified for the play-offs for the first time in five years before being knocked-out by Islamabad United last week.

Watson is the second cricketer after Darren Sammy to pull out of the race to coach Pakistan. Sammy had earlier withdrawn his candidature, citing his contract with the West Indies Cricket Board as head coach of the Windies limited overs team.

Pakistan will now remain without a head coach ahead of a five-match T20 series against New Zealand, scheduled from April 14 in Lahore and Rawalpindi. The PCB is also on a war-footing for an interim arrangement ahead of the national training camp in Kakul from March 25 to April 8.

Pakistan are also due to play T20s against England in May, ahead of the T20 World Cup in June.

After Watson and Sammy’s rejections, the PCB is set to approach former Pakistan captains - Younis Khan, Muhammad Yousuf, Inzamam ul Haq, and Moin Khan - for the role.