Australian Dav Whatmore, centre, is surrounded by reporters upon his arrival at Lahore airport in Pakistan today. Hamza Ahmed / AP Photo
Australian Dav Whatmore, centre, is surrounded by reporters upon his arrival at Lahore airport in Pakistan today. Hamza Ahmed / AP Photo

Dav Whatmore to take over as Pakistan cricket coach



LAHORE // Former Australian batsman Dav Whatmore, who guided Sri Lanka to World Cup glory, arrived in Lahore today to sign a contract to become Pakistan's new cricket coach, according to an official.

The 57-year-old Whatmore, who played seven Tests and one limited overs international for Australia, coached Sri Lanka to the World Cup title in 1996 and also helped Bangladesh reach the second round in the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean.

Whatmore was chosen by a three-member coaching committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after regular coach Waqar Younis left the post citing health issues in September last year.

Former Pakistan opener Mohsin Khan was appointed interim coach under whom Pakistan beat Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and whitewashed England 3-0 in Tests before they went down tamely 4-0 in one-day series and 2-1 in the Twenty20 internationals in the UAE last month.

The head of the coaching committee Intikhab Alam confirmed Whatmore will sign a contract.

"Whatmore and Julien Fountain [likely to take over as fielding coach] have arrived here and Whatmore will sign a contract as head coach of the Pakistan team," Alam told AFP, refusing to give further details of the contract.

Whatmore's first assignment will be to help the team in the four-nation Asia Cup in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Defending champions India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will also compete in the March 11-22 event.

Alam said Whatmore would assist the newly-formed selection committee along with captain Misbah-ul Haq to pick the squad later Friday. Former spinner Iqbal Qasim was appointed head of the selection committee after Mohammad Ilyas resigned from the post on Thursday.

Whatmore will be Pakistan's fourth foreign coach after Richard Pybus (South Africa), Bob Woolmer (England and South Africa) and Geoff Lawson served in the past.

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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