Shane Watson pulls out of Pakistan head coach race

New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) Shane Watson, the former Australian all-rounder, has opted out of contention for the role of Pakistan's head coach, despite being the preferred candidate of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), says a report.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Watson, who recently coached the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), was in advanced discussions regarding the position but has decided to prioritize his current coaching and commentary commitments, including his role with the San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket and his commentary deal at the IPL.

While Watson had initially considered the offer from PCB, thoroughly enjoying his time in Pakistan during the PSL, he ultimately chose to honor his existing commitments, citing family obligations and the need to balance multiple roles. His decision leaves Pakistan without a head coach ahead of their upcoming T20I series against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup in June.

Despite reports suggesting a substantial financial offer from PCB, it is understood that the actual figure was lower than speculated and played no part in Watson's withdrawal. The rapid pace of developments regarding the coaching offer meant that accepting it would have required Watson to step down from his current roles abruptly, which was deemed impractical.

As head coach of Quetta Gladiators, Watson made significant changes to the team's structure and personnel, notably replacing long-time captain Sarfaraz Ahmed with Rilee Rossouw. Under his guidance, the Gladiators showed promising form in the PSL, reaching the playoffs for the first time in five seasons before being eliminated in the latter stages of the tournament.