Less than a month after being appointed as the advisor to the PCB chairman on cricket affairs, Waqar Younis has transitioned to a new role as a mentor for one of the five teams in the domestic competitions introduced by the PCB this season.
Waqar is now part of a mentoring team that includes Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Saqlain Mushtaq, and Sarfaraz Ahmed. Their first task will be the Champions One-Day Cup, scheduled to take place in Faisalabad from September 12 to 29. The PCB also confirmed that Sarfaraz, who is currently part of the Test squad in the ongoing Bangladesh series, will continue his playing career alongside his mentoring duties.
Waqar was initially expected to become the board's cricket chief, a role designed to relieve PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi of some of his cricketing decision-making responsibilities. Waqar had even appeared with Naqvi at a press conference at Gaddafi Stadium, signaling his new role. However, the PCB did not initially provide a reason for Waqar’s shift from advisor to mentor. The mentor role, which comes with a three-year contract, was described by the PCB as the result of a "transparent and robust recruitment process." It has been suggested that both parties agreed Waqar might be better suited to a more hands-on team-building role, actively involved in developing a side. The advisor to the chairman position is still being advertised.
During a press conference in Lahore later in the day, Naqvi explained that Waqar played a crucial role in selecting and appointing the other four mentors before deciding to take on the fifth spot himself. Naqvi said, "Waqar Younis assisted us for the last 3-4 weeks. He's a great name and an exceptional cricketer who was on board with us. He helped us finalise the other mentors by speaking to them and getting them on board. Now, he will handle the fifth team."
Naqvi further clarified that according to the PCB’s constitution, Waqar couldn't be hired directly as a mentor, which is why he initially took on the advisor role. "Now he is a mentor, managing an entire team," Naqvi added.
In an earlier statement, Naqvi welcomed "five exceptional champions as mentors" for the Champions Cup teams. He highlighted that these individuals bring a wealth of cricketing experience, knowledge, and passion that will help the Pakistan Cricket Board in identifying, developing, and nurturing the next generation of cricketers across all formats. This initiative, he noted, would not only benefit Pakistan’s men’s cricket team but also help bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket.