Pakistan name Mushtaq Ahmed as assistant coach

Mushtaq Ahmed faces some tough times in his temporary role as Pakistan's assistant coach © Getty Images Enlarge

Mushtaq Ahmed, the former Pakistan legspinner, has been named as assistant coach of Pakistan for the Champions Trophy according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Abbas Zaidi, a PCB director, confirmed to Cricinfo that Mushtaq had been appointed. "Yes, we have hired him for the Champions Trophy as assistant coach. For the moment the appointment is only for that assignment."

Despite playing his last international for Pakistan nearly three years ago, Mushtaq's high-profile successes with Sussex have ensured that he has never remained far from the Pakistan set-up, or the selectors' thoughts. Last winter, he was recalled as one of five spinners for the squad against England; he wasn't eventually used and by the end of the tour he was helping Pakistan out as an unofficial bowling coach. Eventually, Waqar Younis was hired as a full-time bowling coach later in the winter.

And though Mushtaq wasn't selected for the squad to tour England in the summer, speculation was rife that he would be picked once Pakistan arrived, especially after the spate of crippling injuries their bowlers suffered. To many people's surprise, he wasn't chosen for any of the Tests, even though Danish Kaneria struggled throughout the summer. Instead, Mushtaq continued in his attempts to land Sussex a second County Championship title.

For now, Mushtaq is back in the set-up, if only for the solitary assignment. The PCB is not yet ruling out involvement beyond that and Zaidi added that the decision will be reviewed again after the tournament. "The appointment will be reviewed on a tour-by-tour basis after that."