PCB names Abdur Rehman as Pakistan's spin bowling coach

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed former Test spinner Abdur Rehman as the spin bowling coach for the national men’s cricket team. 

The left-arm orthodox spinner, who represented Pakistan from 2006 to 2014 and claimed 140 international wickets across formats, will take on his new role during the upcoming two-match home Test series against the West Indies.

 The series is scheduled to be played in Multan from January 17 to 29.

The 44-year-old joins the national squad, which features three spinners: Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, and Abrar Ahmed. Prior to this, Abdur Rehman was part of the coaching staff for Pakistan’s women’s cricket team. This marks his first assignment as a spin bowling coach for the men’s national side.

To maximize home advantage, the team management is focusing on curating spin-friendly pitches for the series. Head curator Tony Hemming has introduced an innovative "greenhouse concept" to maintain optimal pitch conditions in Multan, which is currently experiencing foggy weather.

 The greenhouse method involves completely covering the pitch and installing heaters on the inner sides of the covers. This setup retains heat and prevents moisture accumulation caused by the damp weather. Hemming’s approach, developed after months of planning, aims to create dry and firm pitches that favor spinners by ensuring consistent playing surfaces.

 With the combination of spin-friendly pitches and a seasoned spin-bowling coach, Pakistan is gearing up to leverage its strengths against the visiting West Indies team. 

The series is expected to test both the players and the innovative pitch preparation strategy under Multan's challenging weather conditions.