Afghanistan news: Stuart Law takes over as interim coach

Afghanistan

Stuart Law has been named interim head coach of Afghanistan for the upcoming limited-overs series against Bangladesh.

The former Australia batter steps in for Lance Klusener, who decided to step away from the role on mutual agreement in September 2021.

According to an official release, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has launched its recruitment process for hiring a new permanent head coach.

“Former Australian middle-order batter Stuart Grant Law has been named as the interim head coach of our national men’s cricket team for the Bangladesh Series. He has already reached Bangladesh and will step up into the role of interim head coach ahead of the upcoming ODI and T20I series against side.”

A former ODI specialist who has become a sought-after coaching talent, Stuart Law represents a solid pick for an Afghanistan side playing against a backdrop of uncertainty.

Law took to coaching roles at different levels following his retirement, starting with being appointed as Sri Lanka interim coach before the 2011 World Cup.

He would be appointed as the head coach of Bangladesh in 2011-2012 and went on to lead the side to their first Asia Cup final.

After a few stints with various domestic and Under-19 sides, Law returned to international coaching as West Indies’ head coach on a two-year contract in 2017.

Law has also served as coaching consultant with the Australian team in 2016.

The Australian has already linked up with the Afghanistan side, who are currently undergoing a preparation and conditioning camp in Bangladesh ahead of start of the ODI series on February 23.

The second and third ODIs are set to be played on February 25 and 28, while the two T20Is are scheduled for March 3 and 5.

Afghanistan have made a number of changes to both their squads for the tour.

Senior players Mohammad Shahzad, Gulbadin Naib, Hamid Hassan and Hashmatullah Shahidi have been dropped from the T20I squad, while the likes of Sharafuddin Ashraf and Usman Ghani have been removed from the ODI squad.

ODI Squad 
Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah (VC) ,Azmatullah Omarzai, Farid Malik, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Gulbadin Naib, Ibrahim Zadran, Ikram Alikhail, Mohammad Nabi, Mujib ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, Riaz Hassan, Shahidullah Kamal, Yamin Ahmadzai
Traveling Reserves: Qais Ahmad, Salim Safi
T20I Squad 
Mohammad Nabi (C), Afsar Zazai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Darwish Rasooli, Farid Ahmad Malik, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Hazratullah Zazai, Karim Janat, Mujib ur Rahman, Najibullah Zadran, Nijat Masoud, Qais Ahmad, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, Sharafuddin Ashraf and Usman Ghani

ODI Series schedule
23 February – 1st ODI, Chattogram
25 February – 2nd ODI, Chattogram
28 January – 3rd ODI, Chattogram

T20I Series schedule
03 March – 1st T20I, Dhaka
05 March – 2nd T20I, Dhaka

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