Australian Dav Whatmore is the front runner to be appointed Pakistan coach, a senior PCB official said Saturday. Whatmore, who led Sri Lanka to victory at the 1996 World Cup, is currently in charge of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Twenty20 Indian Premier League. “Whatmore is due to come to Pakistan sometime next month to discuss issues relating to our search for a head coach,” Pakistan Cricket Board senior board official, Subhan Ahmad said. “It would be premature to say we have taken a decision to appoint Whatmore as head coach but we are in the process of interviewing candidates and Whatmore is a front runner.” The 57-year-old Whatmore, who played seven Tests for Australia, has also enjoyed a successful coaching spell with Bangladesh, leading it to its first Test match and subsequent series win in 2005. Whatmore came close to being appointed Pakistan coach in 2007 before the PCB selected his compatriot Geoff Lawson. Pakistan faces England in a Test and one-day series starting next month with interim coach and chief selector Mohsin Khan continuing to lead the side. Mohsin was in charge for the recent Test series victories over Bangladesh and Sri Lanka after Waqar Younus resigned as head coach in September due to personal and health reasons. Confidence high Test series wins over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have whetted Pakistan's appetite for success and it is capable of beating world No. 1 Test side England next month, coach Mohsin Khan said. However, interim coach Mohsin, who was retained after guiding his team to series victories over the sub-continent teams, said that England would pose a far bigger challenge for Pakistan. “England is the No. 1 Test team in the world and its recent performances have been outstanding,” Mohsin said Saturday. “We are expecting a very tough contest and the good thing is our players are already talking about the series and its significance to Pakistan cricket.” “It is true that Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are not as strong a challenge as England will be. But the good thing is that our team has developed a taste for success and every player is contributing in some way so we can win.”. Pakistan will play three Tests, four one-dayers and three Twenty20 matches against England in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, starting next month. Mohsin denied that the hosts will have any advantage from the low and slow pitches in the Gulf nation. “England is a thorough professional side and has been stable under the guidance of (coach) Andy Flower and (captain) Andrew Strauss so what will matter is how you play session by session,” Mohsin said. “Conditions will be same for both sides.” Mohsin, who played 48 Test matches for his country, denied that Pakistan will rely heavily on its spinners during the three-Test series. “We are fortunate to be blessed with both quality pacers and spinners so we are not going to rely on anyone in particular,” the 56-year old said. The Pakistani selectors are due to name the Test squad for the series Monday.
